Taiwan led the world in IC wafer capacity last year, and it is expected to retain this position through 2024, semiconductor market research company IC Insights said on Thursday.
Taiwan accounted for 22 percent of the global wafer capacity last year, followed by South Korea with 21 percent, Japan with 16 percent and China with 13.9 percent, it said in a report.
In 2015, Taiwan surpassed South Korea to become the world’s No. 1 in wafer capacity. It is forecast to add 1.3 billion wafers from last year to 2024 to maintain its lead, the report said.
China is expected to see the largest percentage gain in capacity share during the same period, the report said.
With DRAM and NAND factories under construction, China is catching up rapidly, it added.
A substantial amount of wafer capacity is to be built up in China over the next few years by memory manufacturers headquartered in other countries as well as local manufacturers of other types of ICs, it said.
China’s capacity is predicted to surpass Japan’s this year and overtake South Korea’s in 2022.
North America is expected to see a decline in wafer capacity in the coming years, as US companies continue to rely on overseas foundries, primarily those based in Taiwan, for wafer supply, the report said.
North America accounted for 12.8 percent of the world’s wafer capacity last year, it said.
Europe is also expected to see its global share wane, accounting for 5.8 percent last year, it said.
Taiwan’s wafer capacity growth can mostly be attributed to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) rapid increases in capacity.
TSMC aims to grow capacity by 5 percent year-on-year this year by investing a record US$15 billion to US$16 billion.
The company, the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, operates three 12-inch mega fabs with annual capacity in Taiwan exceeding 8 million 12-inch wafers last year .
It is adding a fourth mega fab this year to supply customers with advanced 3-nanometer and 2-nanometer technology and beyond.
The chipmaker also owns four 8-inch fabs and one 6-inch fab in Taiwan, and operates two fabs in Nanjing and Shanghai, China.
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