Monday, January 5, 2004
Capital spending in the semiconductor industry is expected to jump 27.6 percent this year, from $29 billion in 2003, to $37 billion in 2004, according to a report from Berean Capital Inc..
The spending spree is being driven by a sudden ramp in leading-edge 300-mm fabs and flat-panel display plants in the market. At present, there are some 34 300-mm fabs and 8-to-11 leading flat-panel plants in production or on the drawing board, according to Berean Capital, an investment banking firm in Chicago.
But unlike in 2003, the focus on capital spending in 2004 will be on the front-end of the chip-equipment markets, according to Berean Capital. Last year, the backend led the worldwide capital spending picture, it was noted.
Taiwan's foundry giants, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and United Microelectronics Corp.--are separately expected to increase their capital spending by 50-to-60 percent, according to the report.
Hynix, Samsung, and several Japanese chip makers are boosting their capital spending in 2004, the report said.
By: DocMemory
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