By Li Panpan
(JW Insights) Sep 20 -- China is expected to rank second with 22% growth in 200mm capacity growth by 2026, SEMI announced in its 200mm Fab Outlook to 2026 report on September 19.
Semiconductor manufacturers worldwide are projected to increase 200mm fab capacity by 14% from 2023 through 2026, adding 12 new 200mm volume fabs (excluding EPI) as the industry reaches a record high of more than 7.7 million wafers per month (wpm), Semi said.
Southeast Asia is projected to lead 200mm capacity growth with a 32% increase during the report period. The biggest contributor to the 200mm capacity expansion, China is projected to reach more than 1.7 million wafers per month by 2026. Americas, Europe & Mideast, and the Taiwan region will follow at 14%, 11%, and 7% growth, respectively.
In 2023, China is forecast to claim a 22% share of 200mm fab capacity, while Japan is expected to account for 16% of total capacity, followed by the Taiwan region, Europe & Mideast, and America at 15%, 14%, and 14%, respectively, according to the SEMI report.
LogoPower and compound semiconductors, which are vital for the consumer, automotive, and industrial sectors, are the biggest drivers of 200mm investment. The development of powertrain inverters and charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs), in particular, is expected to fuel increases in global 200mm wafer capacity as EV adoption continues to rise.
Fab capacity for automotive and power semiconductors will grow 34% from 2023 to 2026, with Microprocessor Unit/Microcontroller Unit (MPU/MCU) ranking second at 21%, followed by MEMS, Analog, and Foundry at 16%, 8%, and 8%, respectively, said SEMI.
