The Investment Layout of Top Ten Semiconductor Manufacturers in 2013
In addition to two IC designers, the top ten semiconductor manufacturers in 2012 were Intel, Samsung Electronics, TSMC, TI, Toshiab, Renesas Electronics, SK Hynix, according the latest data from DIGTIMES.
In 2012, global semiconductor industry saw dramatic changes: PC suffered the first decline since 2001; mobile devices, especially smartphone and tablets showed faster growth speed than traditional PC; changes also occurred in semiconductor manufacturers-Intel and other PC related companies declined while Qualcomm and other mobile related enterprise rose. 2013 has come to May, PC still performs weak and mobile devices continue prosperity, semiconductors are adjusting their investment layout.
Intel in 2013 increased 18.2% of capital expenditure from 2012, reaching $13 billion. Aside from continuous expansion of the proportion of 22nm process, Intel will invest 18-inch wafer, 14, 10, 7, 5nm and other advanced process R & D to produce better-performance processors.
Since 2009, Samsung Electronics has continued to increase capital spending in semiconductor field, from $3.2 billion to $12.3 billion in 2012; however, it is estimated 2013 will see slight dropping to $12 billion. The investment of memory business is set to focus on further increase in shares of DRAM 28nm process, continuous construction of Xi’an NAND Flash factory in Chinese mainland as well as moving NAND Flash toward 21, 16nm process; on the system IC side, Samsung Electronics is set to expand production capacity in Austin, Texas, and re-start the establishment of 17-generation production line in Hwaseong, South Korea.
TSMC’s capital expenditure in 2013 will up to $9.5 -10 billion from $9.3 billion in 2012, mainly used for production capacity of 28, 20 and 16nm process.
Japan-based Toshiba is expected to maintain line in capital spending at $2 billon, mainly for the R & D of NAND Flash 1ynm process.
SK Hynix, the second largest DRAM suppliers after Samsung, will increase investment from only $800 million in 2009 to $3.5 billion in 2012, a three-year growth momentum; but 2013 will have a decline at $2.6 billion. In 2013, SK Hynix not only promotes its DRAM process to 28nm from 35nm; upgrade its NAND Flash from 27 to 21nm; but also plan to make foundry production line achieve higher-level chip production.
Worth noting, despite the semiconductor spending cutting in Samsung and SK Hynix in 2013, these two South Korea-based companies will be more active to lay out semiconductor related technology through merger and acquisition; they will gradually not limit in equipment or plant, but pay more attention to the complete layout of semiconductor component technology.