SEOUL, South Korea — May 16, 2023 — Market forecasts, insights into the latest semiconductor materials developments, and the key role of materials in sustainability will take the spotlight at SMC (Strategic Materials Conference) Korea 2023 tomorrow at the Suwon Convention Center in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.

With advanced materials a key driver of innovation, and sustainability a top SEMI and semiconductor industry priority, SMC Korea 2023 will feature the following presentations focused on reducing the industry’s carbon footprint:

• Namsung Kim, Senior Director, Applied Materials – GAA (Gate-All-Around) Technology to Enable Continuous CMOS Transistor Scaling for Energy-Efficient Computing
• Sung-Ho Kim, Head of Global Marketing, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany – Materials Innovation for Low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) Gas Development
• WonSeob Cho, Head of Electronic Materials R&D Center, BASF – Aiming for CO2 Neutrality: Sustainable Solutions for IC Applications
• Sang Uk Nam, Associate Research Fellow, KIET – Carbon-Neutral Strategy of Korean Government and Role of Materials Companies

In addition, experts from leading memory producers Samsung and SK hynix will discuss the vital importance of collaboration in advanced packaging and sustainable materials innovations.

The following experts will highlight other semiconductor materials market trends:

• Jeongdong Choe, Senior Technical Fellow, TechInsights – Market & Technology Trends for Memory Devices Including Materials
• Inji Yeom, Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company – Global Supply Chain
• Mark Thirsk, Managing Partner, Linx Consulting – Materials Still Matter. Trends in Materials Demand and Supply
• Jan Vardaman, President and Founder, TechSearch International – Advanced Packaging Technology & Market Trends

SMC Korea 2023 will also feature the following session:

• Advanced Materials Enabling Next-Generation Devices – Experts from Air Liquide, Dongjin Semichem and Lam Research will discuss materials crucial to driving semiconductor innovations.

The global wafer fab materials market is projected to see a strong rebound in 2024 after softening this year, the March 2023 SEMI Materials Market Data Subscription (MMDS) report shows. Key semiconductor materials market drivers include artificial intelligence (AI), applications such as ChatGPT, and the growing automotive chip market.

SMC Korea 2023 Sponsors

SEMI Sustainability Initiative
The SEMI Sustainability Initiative brings together semiconductor industry leaders to accelerate the development of climate solutions and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint through collaboration, communications, alignment and standards. The initiative includes working groups focused on developing solutions to sustainability challenges. Learn more about the SEMI Sustainability Initiative or become involved by contacting us at [email protected].

About SEMI
SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG), Nano-Bio Materials Consortium (NBMC), and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

Association Contacts

Jaegwan Shim/SEMI Korea
Phone: 82+2.531.7804
Email: [email protected]

Michael Hall/SEMI US
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about SMC Korea 2023 Opens Tomorrow With Future of Semiconductor Materials, Sustainability in Focus

MILPITAS, Calif. – May 16, 2023 – The current global semiconductor manufacturing industry contraction is expected to moderate in the second quarter of 2023 and give way to a gradual recovery starting in the third quarter, SEMI announced in its Q1 2023 publication of the Semiconductor Manufacturing Monitor (SMM) Report, prepared in partnership with TechInsights.

In the second quarter of 2023, industry indicators including IC sales and silicon shipments – both partly supported by seasonality – point to quarter-over-quarter improvements. However, despite the gains, elevated inventories continue to dampen silicon shipments and fab utilization rates remain significantly lower than levels registered last year. In addition, semiconductor equipment sales continue to decline in parallel with capital expenditure adjustments by major industry stakeholders.

The indicators point to a likely bottoming of the current downturn in the second quarter of 2023 with a slow recovery expected to begin in the year’s second half.

“The current market downturn is compounded by soft consumer demand and elevated inventory levels and has led to a sharp decline in semiconductor fab utilization,” said Clark Tseng, Senior Director of Market Intelligence at SEMI. “However, as the inventory correction comes to an end in mid-2023, a mild recovery is expected in the second half of the year driven by a pickup in demand for inventory and the holiday season.”

“Despite ongoing uncertainties and risks, we expect continuing production cuts and capex reductions, especially in the memory market, will start having a positive impact on market fundamentals in the latter part of the year, resulting in a more balanced market environment,” said Risto Puhakka, VP of Market Analysis at TechInsights.
 

The Semiconductor Manufacturing Monitor (SMM) report provides end-to-end data on the worldwide semiconductor manufacturing industry. The report highlights key trends based on industry indicators including capital equipment, fab capacity, and semiconductor and electronics sales, and includes a capital equipment market forecast. The SMM report also contains two years of quarterly data and a one-quarter outlook for the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain including leading IDM, fabless, foundry, and OSAT companies. An SMM subscription includes quarterly reports.

Download an SMM report sample.

For more information or to subscribe, please contact the SEMI Market Intelligence Team at [email protected]. More information is also available at SEMI Market Data.

About SEMI
SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG), Nano-Bio Materials Consortium (NBMC), and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

Association Contact
Michael Hall/SEMI
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about Semiconductor Manufacturing Monitor Points to Moderating Industry Contraction in Q2 2023, SEMI Reports

MILPITAS, Calif. – May 8, 2023 – The Nano-Bio Materials Consortium (NBMC), a SEMI Technology Community, today issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) aimed at advancing human performance through innovations in wearable transdermal, subcutaneous, and textile-based sensor technologies. Selected projects will receive cash awards ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. The RFP is funded by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

The white paper proposals should address real-time cognitive and physical state monitoring, integrated sensing and edge computing, performance augmentation, human health protection, and environmental monitoring. SEMI NBMC Governing Council members selected the RFP topics based on an analysis of strategic market needs.

Organizations submitting proposals will be evaluated based on their capabilities, experience, and strengths including team diversity. See the complete SEMI NBMC 2023 Request for Proposals for more details on the evaluation process.

White paper submissions, the first step in responding to the RFP, are due June 5, 2023. To help organizations prepare their proposals, SEMI NBMC staff will review the RFP topics and the submission and review process during a live webinar on May 17, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. The webinar is open to organizations considering submitting a proposal. A recording will be available for registrants unable to attend the event. Registration for the event is open. 

Following the review of white papers by the RFP Review Committee, consisting of NBMC Council members and other subject matter experts (SMEs), SEMI NBMC will invite selected organizations to submit full proposals. The evaluation criteria include:

• Rationale
• Budget
• Collaboration value
• Dual-use (commercial and military/aerospace) applicability
• Relevance to digital healthcare ecosystem
• Relevance to RFP technologies
• Schedules and milestones
• Reasonable and stretch deliverables
• Overall proposal quality

SEMI NBMC focuses on research and development (R&D) to increase the technology and manufacturing readiness levels (TRL/MRL) of technologies related to RFP topics. The Consortium encourages proposals for novel technical solutions that carry significant risk as well as those that represent evolutionary improvements on existing technical capabilities. 

SEMI NBMC encourages partnerships among industrial companies, R&D organizations, and university teams. AFRL funding will be matched with contributions by grant recipients to cover total project cost. Development partners retain ownership of intellectual property developed under SEMI NBMC contracts.

About SEMI NBMC
SEMI NBMC was founded in 2013 to bring together scientists, engineers, and business development professionals from industry, government, and universities to collaboratively initiate research and development of electronic technologies to improve human performance monitoring and performance augmentation capabilities. To date, more than two dozen industry partners have advanced the state-of-the-art in human-performance monitoring in 38 projects. Advancements include subsystems designed for ECG, functionalized biomarker sensors, and hydration sensors.

About SEMI
SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG), Nano-Bio Materials Consortium (NBMC), and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

Association Contact

Michael Hall/SEMI
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about SEMI NBMC Invites Proposals for Wearable Sensor Innovations

MILPITAS, Calif. – May 8, 2023 – The Electronic System Design (ESD) Alliance, a SEMI Technology Community, today announced the election of its Governing Council for the 2023-2025 term. New to the Governing Council are Niels Faché, vice president and general manager at Keysight, and John Lee, general manager and vice president at Ansys.

Faché and Lee join Governing Council members re-elected to a two-year term that runs through 2025:

• Aart de Geus, chairman and CEO of Synopsys, Inc.
• Anirudh Devgan, president and CEO of Cadence Design Systems
• Niels Faché, vice president and general manager of Keysight
• Aki Fujimura, CEO of D2S
• Maheen Hamid, CFO and COO of Breker Verification Systems
• John Kibarian, president and CEO of PDF Solutions, Inc.
• John Lee,general manager and vice president of Ansys
• Prakash Narain, president and CEO from Real Intent
• Joe Sawicki, executive vice president of Siemens EDA
• Bob Smith, executive director of the ESD Alliance

The Governing Council was elected by more than 60% of eligible member companies casting ballots during the voting period that ended April 28.

“It’s a pleasure to announce the results of our Governing Council election,” said Bob Smith, executive director of the ESD Alliance. “We welcome returning and new council members and thank outgoing members Dean Drako of IC Manage and industry veteran and former ESD Alliance chair Simon Segars for their many years of service to the ESD Alliance.”

About the Electronic System Design Alliance
The Electronic System Design (ESD) Alliance, a SEMI Technology Community representing members in the electronic system and semiconductor design ecosystem, is a community that addresses technical, marketing, economic and legislative issues affecting the entire industry. It acts as the central voice to communicate and promote the value of the semiconductor design ecosystem as a vital component of the global electronics industry. Visit www.semi.org/en/communities/esda to learn more.

Follow the ESD Alliance
ESD Alliance Bridging the Frontier blog
Twitter: @ESDAlliance
LinkedIn
Facebook

About SEMI
SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG), Nano-Bio Materials Consortium (NBMC), and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Association Contact

Nanette Collins
Public Relations for the ESD Alliance
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about ESD Alliance Elects 10-Member Governing Council to 2-Year Term

MILPITAS, Calif. — May 1, 2023 — More than 85 experts will offer insights on the latest semiconductor manufacturing strategies and methodologies as hundreds of industry stakeholders gather at the 34^th annual SEMI Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference (ASMC 2023), opening today in Saratoga Springs, New York. Advanced semiconductor manufacturing topics ranging from yield management and metrology to new developments in improving post-pandemic manufacturing agility will take center stage at the May 1-4 event. Registration is open.

ASMC 2023 features keynotes by thought leaders from Infineon, SkyWater Technology and Semiconductor Advisors. The conference, the premier event for industry professionals to network and share insights into best practices for semiconductor manufacturing, is co-chaired by Larry Pulvirent, Lead Manufacturing Integration Engineer at AIM Photonics, and Jan Rothe, Sr. Manager Global Manufacturing Solutions Strategy and Architecture at GlobalFoundries.

The Women in Semiconductors (WiS 2023) program takes place today in conjunction with ASMC 2023. The program addresses the importance of promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Registration is complimentary for ASMC attendees. 

ASMC 2023 technical sessions will cover topics including:

• Advanced Equipment Processes and Materials
• Advanced Metrology
• Advanced Process Control
• Advanced Semiconductor Technologies
• Big Data, Automation and Analytics
• Contamination Free Manufacturing
• Defect Inspection
• Equipment Optimization
• Workforce Development
• Yield Enhancement / Yield Methodologies

ASMC will also feature the panel discussion Unintended Consequences of Government Subsidies on Moore’s Law and the Future of Semiconductors. Panelists will include:

• Sam Howell, Research Assistant, Technology and National Security Program, CNAS
• Sanjay Tripathi, Vice President, Semiconductor Technology and Services, IBM
• Robert Maire, President, Semiconductor Advisors
• Rick Glasmann, Vice President North American Operations, The MAX Group

For more conference details, please visit the ASMC website or contact Taylor Zhao of SEMI at [email protected].

About SEMI

SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance electronics design and manufacturing technology and business. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable more innovative, faster, powerful, and affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG), and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

Association Contact

Michael Hall/SEMI
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about ASMC 2023 Opens With Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Excellence in Focus

MILPITAS, Calif. — May 2, 2023 — Worldwide silicon wafer shipments slipped 9.0% quarter-over-quarter to 3,265 million square inches in the first quarter of 2023 and 11.3% from the 3,679 million square inches recorded during the same quarter last year, the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) reported today in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry.

“The decline in silicon wafer shipments reflects softening semiconductor demand since early this year,” said Anna-Riikka Vuorikari-Antikainen, Chairman of SEMI SMG and Chief Commercial Officer at Okmetic. “Memory and consumer electronics have seen the largest drops in demand while the market for automotive and industrial applications remains more stable.”

Silicon Area Shipment Trends – Semiconductor Applications Only

Data cited in this release include polished silicon wafers such as virgin test and epitaxial silicon wafers, as well as non-polished silicon wafers shipped to end users.

Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for the majority of semiconductors, which are vital components of all electronic devices. The highly engineered thin disks are produced in diameters of up to 12 inches and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductors are fabricated.

The SMG is a sub-committee of the SEMI Electronic Materials Group (EMG) and is open to SEMI members involved in manufacturing polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon or silicon wafers (e.g., as cut, polished, epi). The SMG facilitates collective efforts on issues related to the silicon industry including the development of market information and statistics about the silicon industry and the semiconductor market.

For more information, visit SEMI Worldwide Silicon Wafer Shipment Statistics.

About SEMI

SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

Association Contact

Michael Hall/SEMI
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about Worldwide Silicon Wafer Shipments Decline in Q1 2023, SEMI Reports

MILPITAS, Calif. — May 1, 2023 — Electronic System Design (ESD) industry revenue increased 11.3% from $3,468.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 to $3,858.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, the ESD Alliance, a SEMI Technology Community, announced today in its latest Electronic Design Market Data (EDMD) report. The four-quarter moving average, which compares the most recent four quarters to the prior four, rose 12.6%.

“The electronic design automation (EDA) industry posted double-digit gains in Q4 2022, with increases in all major product categories,” said Walden C. Rhines, Executive Sponsor of the SEMI Electronic Design Market Data report. “All geographic regions recorded growth in the quarter, with Asia Pacific reporting a double-digit increase.”

The companies tracked in the EDMD report employed 56,501 people globally in Q4 2022, a 10.3% increase over the Q4 2021 headcount of 51,236 and up 2% compared to Q3 2022.

The quarterly EDMD report contains detailed revenue information with the following category and geographic breakdowns.

Revenue by Product and Application Category – Year-Over-Year Change

• Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) revenue jumped 16.9% to $1,244.2 million. The four-quarter CAE moving average increased 16.1%.

• IC Physical Design and Verification revenue rose 11.8% to $698.3 million. The four-quarter moving average for the category increased 6.9%.

• Printed Circuit Board and Multi-Chip Module (PCB and MCM) revenue edged up 1.7% to $339.4 million. The four-quarter moving average for PCB and MCM rose 9.9%.

• Semiconductor Intellectual Property (SIP) revenue climbed 9.3% to $1,436.3 million. The four-quarter SIP moving average grew 12.9%.

• Services revenue increased 7.1% to $140.5 million. The four-quarter Services moving average rose 17.9%.

Revenue by Region – Year-Over-Year Change

• The Americas, the largest reporting region by revenue, procured $1,714.5 million of electronic system design products and services in Q4 2022, an 8.7% increase. The four-quarter moving average for the Americas rose 13.6%.

• Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) procured $504.6 million of electronic system design products and services in Q4 2022, a 4.6% increase. The four-quarter moving average for EMEA grew 3.6%.

• Japan’s procurement of electronic system design products and services increased 8.6% to $242.1 million. The four-quarter moving average for Japan rose 1.7%.

• Asia Pacific (APAC) procured $1,397.5 million of electronic system design products and services in Q4 2022, a 17.9% increase. The four-quarter moving average for APAC grew 17.1%.

About the EDMD Report

The ESD Alliance Electronic Design Market Data (formerly the Market Statistics Service) report presents quarterly revenue updates for the Electronic Design Automation (EDA), SIP and services industry. Both public and private companies contribute data to the report available from SEMI. Each quarterly report is published approximately three months after quarter close. EDMD report data is segmented as follows:

• Revenue by product category (CAE, IC Physical Design and Verification, Semiconductor IP, PCB/MCM Layout, and Services) including numerous detailed sub-categories
• Revenue by geographic region (Americas, EMEA, Japan and APAC)
• Total employment at participating companies

For information about SEMI market research reports, visit the SEMI Market Research Reports and Databases Catalog.

About the Electronic System Design Alliance

The Electronic System Design (ESD) Alliance, a SEMI Technology Community, is the central voice to communicate and promote the value of the semiconductor design ecosystem as a vital component of the global electronics industry. As an international association of companies providing goods and services throughout the semiconductor design ecosystem, it is a forum to address technical, marketing, economic and legislative issues affecting the entire industry. For more information about the ESD Alliance, visit http://esd-alliance.org.

About SEMI

SEMI® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org to learn more, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The information supplied by the ESD Alliance is believed to be accurate and reliable, but the ESD Alliance assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Press Contacts

Paul Cohen
ESD Alliance
A SEMI Technology Community
978-769-2106

Jack Taylor
Siemens EDA PR
Siemens Digital Industries Software
512-560-7143

• Read more about Electronic System Design Industry Logs $3.9 Billion in Revenue in Q4 2022, ESD Alliance Reports

BRUSSELS, Belgium — April 20, 2023 — SEMI, the industry association serving the global electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, today applauded the provisional agreement reached on April 18 in the European Chips Act Trilogue Negotiations to invest €43 billion to bolster Europe’s microelectronics industry. The European Parliament, Commission and Council forged the agreement in Strasbourg, France.

In the year since the landmark legislation was drafted, the European Chips Act has become a strategic centerpiece of Europe’s industrial ambition. The legislation aims to facilitate the continent’s digital and green transition by strengthening its semiconductor industry production capacity. A strong supporter of Europe’s economic growth, SEMI Europe expects the EU Chips Act to help Europe increase its global semiconductor manufacturing share to 20% in the next decade.

The legislation includes a crisis response provision through which the European Commission will assess risks to the European Union’s semiconductor supply and publish early warning indicators in member states that might trigger EU-wide chip shortage alerts.

“The European Chips Act is a significant step forward for the semiconductor industry in Europe with robust investments to help strengthen manufacturing and the resiliency of global supply chains,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI President and CEO. “In addition, the Act will enable cohesive strategies to grow Europe's talent base and ensure the region remains at the forefront of innovation.”

“Now is the time to invest in the semiconductor sector in Europe,” said Laith Altimime, President of SEMI Europe. “The European Chips Act strengthens the continent’s appeal as a destination for semiconductor industry investment and lays the groundwork for the growth of the entire ecosystem. The act will help create a more favorable environment for chip industry investments in Europe and promises to spark greater innovation.”

The European Chips Act is a cornerstone of efforts to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in building chips and innovation in the design, manufacturing and packaging of chips. The act will also enable Europe to deepen its understanding of global semiconductor supply chains and address the skills shortage.

“SEMI looks forward to the implementation of the European Chips Act, which is crucial to strengthening Europe’s semiconductor competencies across the entire value chain,” said Christopher Frieling, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at SEMI Europe.

Visit SEMI Global Advocacy to learn more about its public policy efforts and the latest developments. Go to SEMI Workforce Development for information on how SEMI is addressing the microelectronics industry’s talent needs.

Europe Advocacy

Discover how SEMI Europe Advocacy & Public Policy supports the microelectronics industry across trade, taxes, talent, and R&D or become involved by contacting [email protected].

About SEMI
SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

Association Contacts

Serena Brischetto/SEMI Europe
Phone: +49 30 3030 8077-11
Email: [email protected]

Michael Hall/SEMI US
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about SEMI Applauds Provisional Agreement Reached in EU Chips Act Trilogue Negotiations

SEOUL, South Korea — April 18, 2023 — With Korea a major consumer of semiconductor materials and advanced materials a key driver of innovation, the stage is set for SMC (Strategic Materials Conference) Korea 2023 on May 17, 2023 at the Suwon Convention Center in Seoul, South Korea as industry leaders and experts gather to provide market forecasts and insights into the latest materials developments and trends. Registration is open.

The global wafer fab materials market is projected to see a strong rebound in 2024 after softening this year, the March 2023 SEMI Materials Market Data Subscription (MMDS) report shows. Key semiconductor materials market drivers include artificial intelligence (AI), applications such as ChatGPT, and the growing automotive chip market. With Samsung and SK hynix leading producers of memory, Korea is the second largest semiconductor materials market.

SMC Korea 2023 Keynotes

• Namsung Kim, Senior Director, Applied Materials – GAA (Gate-All-Around) Technology Enabling Continuous CMOS Transistor Scaling for Energy-Efficient Computing Solution
• Jeongdong Choe, Senior Technical Fellow, TechInsights – Market & Technology Trends for Memory Devices Including Materials
• Inji Yeom, Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company – Global Supply Chain

SMC Korea 2023 will also feature the following sessions:

• Advanced Materials Enabling Next-Generation Devices – Experts from Air Liquide, Donjin Semichem and Lam Research will discuss materials crucial to driving semiconductor innovations.
• Global Warming Potential (GWP) – Thoughts leaders from BASF, KIET and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany will explore strategies for low-GWP materials development.
• Collaboration – Experts from Samsung and SK hynix will discuss the vital importance of collaboration in advanced packaging and sustainable materials innovations.
• Market Trends – Linx Consulting and TechSearch International will provide perspectives on prospects for the semiconductor materials market.

An SMC Korea 2023 pre-registration discount is available until May 10.

SMC Korea 2023 Sponsors

About SEMI

SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance electronics design and manufacturing technology and business. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable more innovative, faster, powerful, and affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG), and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

Association Contacts

Jaegwan Shim/SEMI Korea
Phone: 82+2.531.7804
Email: [email protected]

Michael Hall/SEMI US
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about SMC Korea 2023 to Showcase Future of Semiconductor Materials

BRUSSELS, Belgium — April 11, 2023 — SEMI, the industry association serving the global electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, today announced that SEMI Europe, as the lead of a new 18-partner consortium, has won up to €4 million in funding to develop the European Chips Skills Academy, an initiative to help tackle the skills and talent shortages in Europe’s electronics industry and propel its long-term growth. The initiative is backed by more than 30 partner research organizations, vocational and education training providers, certification agencies and industry stakeholders.

The European Chips Skills Academy will expand on the Microelectronics Pact for Skills and the EU Chips Act to support the microelectronics ecosystem in Europe to attract new talent. The academy will deliver targeted European-wide training in key microelectronics fields such as automotive and additive manufacturing. The grant, provided by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ Programme, will fund the academy for four years.

The European Chips Skills Academy is the second phase of the Microelectronics Training, Industry and Skills (METIS) consortium. Both initiatives are designed to foster microelectronics industry collaboration with key education, training and certification providers to address the skills shortage and European competitiveness.

“The pan-European alliance guiding the European Chips Skills Academy will leverage the diverse and considerable strengths of its many partners from across the microelectronics’ ecosystem and industrial value chain,” said Ajit Manocha, president and CEO of SEMI. “The project aims to bring greater strategic foresight to the evolution of professions and skills in the industry by applying evidence-based, data-driven success metrics to workforce development.”

“Rapid semiconductor industry growth in Europe and around the globe in the years ahead necessitates that we quickly scale up the region’s training efforts and drive greater cohesion of skills strategies across Europe to meet demand for the qualified workers required to sustain innovation and growth,” said Laith Altimime, president of SEMI Europe. “The European Chips Skills Academy will be the first decentralized microelectronics skills provider in Europe to help overcome this critical workforce development challenge.”

“With the call on the Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills the Commission aims to boost the provision of new skills by designing and creating new curricula for higher education and vocational training, thus supporting the EU Chips Act to address the semiconductor skills shortage and attract new talents and workforce”, said Lucilla Sioli, Director of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Industry in Directorate-General CONNECT at the European Commission. “The European Chips Skills Academy, among other initiatives, will be an important step to support skills development in Europe and to underpin the implementation of the Chips Act across Members States.”

Expected to begin work in autumn 2023, the European Chips Skills Academy consortium consists of the following organizations:

• Asociación Nacional de Centros con Certificados de Profesionalidad (ANCCP) - Spain
• Association for European NanoElectronics Activities (AENEAS) - France
• Budapest University of Technology & Economics (BME) - Hungary
• DECISION Etudes & Conseil - France
• Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden) - Germany
• Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) - Austria
• Infineon Technologies - Austria
• Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalence (CIMEA) - Italy
• Innovazione Apprendimento Lavoro Friuli Venezia Giulia (IAL-FVG) - Italy
• Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (imec) – Belgium
• Knolyx - Romania
• Melexis - Belgium
• Okmetic - Finland
• Platform Talent voor Technologie (PTVT) / European STEM coalition - Netherlands
• SEMI Europe - Germany
• Silicon Saxony - Germany
• Technical University of Ostrava (VSB) - Czechia
• Tyndall National Institute - Ireland

Visit SEMI Global Advocacy to learn more about public policy efforts and developments, and SEMI Workforce Development for more information on efforts to address the microelectronics industry’s talent needs.

Europe Advocacy  

Discover how SEMI Europe Advocacy & Public Policy supports the microelectronics industry across trade, taxes, talent, and R&D or become involved by contacting [email protected].

About SEMI

SEMI^® connects more than 2,500 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics design and manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. Electronic System Design Alliance (ESD Alliance), FlexTech, the Fab Owners Alliance (FOA), the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) and SOI Consortium are SEMI Strategic Technology Communities. Visit www.semi.org, contact one of our worldwide offices, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more.

Association Contacts

Serena Brischetto/SEMI Europe
Phone: +49 30 3030 8077-11
Email: [email protected]

Michael Hall/SEMI US
Phone: 1.408.943.7988
Email: [email protected]

• Read more about New SEMI Europe-Led Consortium Wins Funding to Help Overcome Europe’s Microelectronics Industry Skills and Talent Shortage