Semiconductor Industry Reports January Chip Sales Grew; 14.0% Year over Year

by Semiconductor Industry Association

INDUSTRY SEES SIGNIFICANT GROWTH ACROSS ALL MAJOR END-USE SECTORS

WASHINGTON, D.C.—March 7, 2011—The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and design, today announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors were $25.5 billion for the month of January 2011, a gain of 1.5 percent from the prior month when sales were $25.2 billion. Sales increased by 14.0% from $22.4 billion in January 2010. All monthly sales numbers represent a three-month moving average.

“The industry will continue to benefit from steady growth, as semiconductor content increases in a wide range of products. The impressive growth in semiconductor sales over the past year has been driven by strong demand across all major end markets as the products we use everyday become smarter, faster, and less expensive,” said Brian Toohey, president, Semiconductor Industry Association. “We are especially encouraged by this trend in the industrial and automotive sectors, which saw significant growth.”

The integration of semiconductors has increased across all verticals including consumer, automotive, computer, industrial, communications and government applications where the industry saw 32 percent year-over-year growth in 2010. Specifically, semiconductor sales to both the industrial and automotive sectors saw significant year-over-year growth which increased by 50 percent and 44 percent respectively in 2010. The integration of energy efficient tools and increased automation in industrial applications can account for some of the growth in this sector’s use of semiconductors. In the automotive sector, increased demand for semiconductor enabled technologies can be attributed to emerging hybrid and electric vehicles, entertainment applications, engine controls and navigation systems.

To learn more about the semiconductor industry, America’s #1 export please visit; semiconductors.org.

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About the SIA Global Sales Report

The SIA 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, an independent, non-profit organization established by the global semiconductor industry to compile industry statistics. The moving average is a mathematical smoothing technique that mitigates variations due to differences in companies’ financial calendars.

About the SIA

The Semiconductor Industry Association, SIA, is the voice of the U.S. semiconductor industry, America’s number-one export industry over the last five years and a bell wether measurement of the US economy. Semiconductor innovations form the foundation for America’s $1.1 trillion dollar technology industry affecting a U.S. workforce of nearly 6 million. Founded in 1977 by five microelectronics pioneers, SIA unites over 60 companies that account for 90 percent of the semiconductor production of this country. Through this coalition SIA seeks to strengthen US leadership of semiconductor design and manufacturing by working with Congress, the Administration and other key industry groups. The SIA works to encourage policies and regulations that fuel innovation, propel business and drive international competition in order to maintain a thriving semiconductor industry in the United States. Learn more at www.sia-online.org