SEMI met with Dr. Jose Pozo, director of Technology and Innovation at EPIC (European Photonics Industry Consortium), to discuss how 3D packaging applications and heterogeneous integration trends are shaping the European technology landscape.

The December 2018 edition of the World Fab Forecast Report published by SEMI reveals a downward revision of total fab equipment spending growth for 2018 to 10% from the 14% forecast in August. Spending in 2019 is now projected to drop 8%, a reversal from the previously expected increase of 7%.

Now that most companies in our sector analyses have reported their calendar third quarter 2018 financial results, we have final or 3Q’18/2Q’17 growth estimates for the world electronic supply chain. We estimate electronic equipment grew 6.7% on a U.S. dollar-denominated basis.

Electronic equipment shipments are approaching their seasonal peak for this year. Oct '18 was up 8.4% compared to Oct '17 but only up 0.4% sequentially from Sept '18. As the consumer-driven busy season winds down, electronic equipment and component monthly sales will decline until late next spring.

Players across the European electronics manufacturing value chain will gather 20-22 November, 2018, at EFECS. Themed “Our Digital Future,” this year’s forum focuses on how rapid innovation in electronics components and systems-based applications are shaping Europe’s digital future.

SEMI spoke with Prof. Christoph Kutter, executive director, Fraunhofer EMFT, about trends and innovations in flexible hybrid electronics ahead of his presentation at the 2018 FLEX Europe - Be Flexible conference at SEMICON Europa 2018, 13-16, November 2018, in Munich, Germany.

Following the 2008 financial crisis, millions of manufacturing jobs were lost in Europe, each time bringing dramatic human/social consequences. Employment levels and jobs are vulnerable to worrying international trends, including increasing protectionism.

SEMI spoke with Antoine Amade, Regional Senior Director EMEA at Entegris, about the challenges set by the car industry, and the concept of “zero defect” & the need for a collaborative approach ahead of his presentation at the Strategic Materials Conference at SEMICON Europa 2018 in Munich, Germany.

SEMI recently shared industry feedback with the European Commission on the roadmap for reviewing RoHS (the Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment). SEMI brought the following topics to the attention of the European Commission: 

With the rise of AI, governments worldwide are accelerating the implementation of data economy and regulations to protect sensitive data traversing AI networks. The European Commission is making progress with initiatives aimed at improving the efficient use of data across the EU.