Worldwide Semiconductor Sales Total
$15.2 Billion in April
--Robust growth due to cellular communications explosion--
San Jose --Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached an all time record high of $15.2 billion in April 2000, increasing from $11.2 billion from April 1999, a 35.6% year to year increase, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported today.
"April sales show continued industry growth and are surpassing our expectations for 2000," stated George Scalise, SIA President. "Coupled with strong PC sales, industry growth is being driven by an explosion of worldwide demand for cellular phones, and the wireless communications infrastructure. While PC’s and consumer electronics have strong seasonal demand trends, cellular phones are in demand year round."
PC units and consumer electronics sales remained strong during the first four months of 2000. Flash memory and digital signal processing (DSP), used for communications applications, continue to show exceptional growth with Flash increasing 193% the first four months of 2000.
Semiconductor sales are also being boosted by the Internet and the e-commerce revolution. According to the Boston Consulting Group, business to business e-commerce conducted over the Internet will increase from $92 billion in 1998 to nearly $2 trillion by 2003. If this trend proves correct, this will strengthen demand and increase sales for silicon chips.
In the Asia Pacific and Japan markets, the industry grew at 46% and 41.1%, respectively from last year. The Americas market was up 25.7% from last year, and Europe’s sales grew 33.6%
The SIA's Global Sales Report (GSR) is a three month moving average of sales activity. The GSR is tabulated by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization, which represent some 70 companies.
The SIA is the leading voice for the semiconductor industry and has represented US-based manufacturers since 1977. SIA member companies comprise more than 90 percent of US-based semiconductor production. Collectively, the chip industry employs a domestic workforce of 284,000 people.
April 2000
(in billions)
*Note: Some numbers may not add due to rounding.