Semiconductor manufacturers are forecast to expand 300mm fab capacity at a nearly 10 percent compound average growth rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2025, reaching an all-time high of 9.2 million wafers per month (wpm), SEMI report revealed.
SEMI did not reveal investments in the expansion of 300mm fab capacity. Semiconductor giants such as GlobalFoundries, Intel, Micron, Samsung, SkyWater Technology, TSMC and Texas Instruments are in the process of expanding fabs in 2024 or 2025 to meet the growth in demand.
Strong demand for automotive semiconductors and new government funding and incentive programs in multiple regions are driving much of the growth.
China is projected to increase its global share of 300mm front-end fab capacity from 19 percent in 2021 to 23 percent in 2025, reaching 2.3 million wpm, driven by government investments in the domestic chip industry.
China is nearing global leader Korea in 300mm fab capacity and expected to overtake Taiwan, now in second place, next year.
Taiwan’s worldwide capacity share in 300mm fab capacity is expected to slip 1 percent to 21 percent from 2021 to 2025.
Korea’s share in 300mm fab capacity is also projected to edge lower 1 percent to 24 percent during the same period.
Japan’s share of worldwide 300mm fab capacity is on a path to fall from 15 percent in 2021 to 12 percent in 2025 as competition with other regions increases.
The Americas’ global share of 300mm fab capacity is forecast to rise from 8 percent in 2021 to 9 percent in 2025, driven partly by U.S. CHIPS Act funding and incentives.
Europe/Mideast is projected to increase its capacity share in 300mm fab capacity from 6 percent to 7 percent during the same period on the strength of European CHIPS Act investments and incentives.
Southeast Asia is expected to maintain its 5 percent share of 300mm front-end fab capacity during the forecast period.
From 2021 to 2025, the 300mm Fab Outlook to 2025 shows Power-related capacity with the strongest growth at a 39 percent CAGR, followed by Analog at 37 percent, Foundry at 14 percent, Opto at 7 percent and Memory at 5 percent.
