The semiconductor manufacturing equipment market is expected to surpass USD 90 billion by 2027, as reported in a research study by Global Market Insights Inc. Rising need for memory ICs, such as MRAM, DRAM, and SRAM, in gaming and entertainment applications is likely to boost the industry growth. The expanding gaming industry will add new growth opportunities for memory IC manufacturers.
The polishing & grinding equipment segment held a market share of over 3% in 2020 and is projected to grow at 5% CAGR through 2027. Growth is attributed to the increasing demand for polishing & grinding processes in the manufacturing of MEMS sensors, chipsets, integrated circuits, optics, and compound semiconductors. The increasing demand for miniaturized integrated circuits in electronics necessitates regular polishing & grinding to reduce subsurface damage and maintain wafer flexibility, fueling the adoption of semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the market.
The 2D technology segment captured more than 30% of the revenue share in 2020 on account of the several features offered by the architecture such as robust built, low-power consumption, and low-cost operations. Several companies and research institutes are collaborating to develop 2D material-based ICs. For instance, in May 2021, TSMC collaborated with the National Institute of Taiwan (NTU) and MIT for the development of 1nm chips. The collective research states that the use of two-dimensional (2D) material in 1nm chips can considerably reduce resistance and enhance current in semiconductors.
The foundry supply chain process segment is projected to witness growth rate of around 6% from 2021 to 2027. Increased demand for power electronics and high-performance computing devices, encouraging foundry providers to enhance their IC manufacturing with new technology nodes is boosting the market statistics. Several companies are focusing on technical improvements such as the utilization of laser-plasma as a light source in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) printing equipment to produce high-quality wavelengths. Technical improvements will help foundry operators to reduce costs on maintenance and operations, accelerating the market expansion.
The Europe semiconductor manufacturing equipment market is anticipated to register 4.5% CAGR till 2027 propelled by rising government initiatives and investments to boost semiconductor-based projects in the region. For instance, in March 2021, the EU announced its plan to boost chip production capacity by 20% by 2030. The European Union also stated that it will invest USD 160 billion in technology development including semiconductor manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure. Furthermore, the collaboration of European chipmakers with diverse industry experts will help them to further develop the fabrication process.
Some major findings of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market report include:
- The growing popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles has increased the demand for semiconductors, opening new markets for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Various electronics and semiconductor components, such as system-on-chips, PMIC, sensors, and microprocessors, are integrated into vehicles for electrification, safety & connectivity applications, supporting the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market growth.
- The increased demand for 2.5D architecture in stack memory modules, which provides high bandwidth memory and improved performance, is significantly contributing to the market demand. Market players including Intel Corporation, Samsung Electronics, and AMD are heavily incorporating 2.5D packaging architecture instead of traditional semiconductor packaging to achieve high chip functionality in small form factors.
- IDM enterprises, such as Analog Devices, Cypress Semiconductor, and ams AG, are constantly increasing their investments in R&D activities. This move will focus on developing technologically advanced and miniaturized goods, such as smart ICs, RFID circuits, sensors, and ultra-low-power microcontrollers, to meet the increased demand of a variety of industrial verticals, further supporting the market growth.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the semiconductor manufacturing sector in FY2020. However, rising demand for advanced computing devices and AI integrated chips has boosted the market revenue in early 2021.
- A growing trend toward the miniaturization of chip size and creative architecture for advanced & small electronic devices has boosted the growth prospects of semiconductor production equipment manufacturers. The growing popularity of smartphones and wearable electronics will drive OEM demand for small chips.
- The North America semiconductor manufacturing equipment market is driven by supporting government initiatives to strengthen the supply chain infrastructure of the regional semiconductor industry. The presence of various semiconductor chip and foundry providers including TSMC, Howteh Technology, and Gallant Precision Machining Co., Ltd. will aid the Asia Pacific industry growth.
- Some of the major players operating in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market are Nordson Corporation, Applied Materials Inc., ASML Holdings N.V., Intel Corporation, Micron Technology Inc., and Veeco Instruments Inc., among others.
- Companies in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market are constantly focusing on R&D activities to develop technologically advanced products that outperform their competitors in the market.
