Chinese wafer equipment market poor European suppliers hit

According to market research company The Information Network recently released data, the United States this year, manufacturers in the global market (front-end wafer front-end wafer processing processing market) accounted for 50% of the share. The number of ups and downs in the past few years, in 2002 was 54%, down to 48% in 2003, this year is expected to increase by more than 1 percentage points in 2004.

Front-end equipment manufacturers expected 2005 global market share is as follows: American suppliers accounted for 50% (1% higher than in 2004), Japanese suppliers accounted for 37% (unchanged from 2004), European suppliers accounted for 12% (down 1%).

According to The Information Network President Robert Castellano, "2005 Chinese, will play an important role in the global market, especially for European suppliers." Castellano pointed out that in 2004 China's front-end equipment sales accounted for only 7% of U.S. sales of manufacturers, the Japanese manufacturers of the 6%, but almost accounted for ASM International and Unaxis and other European manufacturers 1/3. The report said that this year is expected to purchase equipment in mainland China will drop from $2 billion 800 million last year to $1 billion 900 million, European suppliers will be a great blow.

The Information Network maintain its predictions in December 2004, that in 2005 the global market will drop 9.5% front-end equipment. South Korea will be a bright spot, is expected to grow by nearly 20% in 2005.