Worldwide semiconductor equipment billings increased 8% sequentially and a robust 38% on year to US$26.8 billion in the third quarter of 2021, according to SEMI. The quarter also marked the fifth consecutive quarter of record-high billings.
Taiwan replaced China as the largest semiconductor equipment market in the third quarter of 2021, SEMI said. Equipment billings in Taiwan came to US$7.33 billion in the quarter, rising 45% sequentially and 54% from a year earlier, while equipment billings in China fell 12% on quarter but grew 29% on year to US$7.27 billion.
Equipment billings in Korea increased 32% from a year ago but declined 16% sequentially to US$5.58 billion in the third quarter of 2021, SEMI said. Korea was the third-largest semiconductor equipment market during the quarter.
Equipment billings in North America and Europe climbed 67% and 50%, respectively, on year to US$2.29 billion and US$0.87 billion in the third quarter of 2021, while equipment billings in Japan slipped 6% to US$2.11 billion, according to SEMI.
"Strong secular demand for chips across a wide range of markets including communications, computing, healthcare, online services and automotive has fueled this tremendous run of record quarterly growth for semiconductor equipment," said Ajit Manocha, SEMI president and CEO. "The semiconductor industry has demonstrated great resiliency in the face of disruptive global challenges including the chip shortage and ongoing pandemic."
