The TOP DRAM Manufacturers in this post
DRAM Bulletin: Samsung, Nanya, Infineon were 2002 winners
By Nam Hyung Kim
Semiconductor Business News
(02/28/03 08:53 a.m. EST)
siliconstrategies.com
The following column was provided by Nam Hyung Kim, a senior analyst with iSuppli Corp., an El Segundo, Calif.-based market research firm.
Surging prices and sales of Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM in 2002 helped Samsung Electronics to retain its number-one position in the DRAM market allowed up-and-coming supplier Nanya Technology Corp. to break into the ranks of the top five for the first time, according to iSuppli Corp.'s preliminary DRAM market share research.
Increased price premiums for DDR in the second half of 2002 helped boost Samsung's share of the DRAM market to 32.5 percent for the year, up from 28.2 percent in 2001, iSuppli estimates. Samsung was the leading DDR producer in 2002.
Taiwan-based Nanya in 2002 increased its share of the DRAM market to 5.5 percent, up from 2.9 percent in 2001. Nanya differentiated itself by concentrating on DDR production, with the high-end memory accounting for 90 percent of its DRAM output by late 2002 tch, Oct. 28, 2002). On the strength of this strategy, Nanya rose to the number five rank, up from seventh place in 2001.
The companies' strong positions in DDR allowed them to achieve both growth and profitability in 2002. Samsung's DRAM revenues rose 55 percent in 2002, while Nanya's surged by a remarkable 153 percent. This compares to 33 percent growth for the overall DRAM market in 2002.
The top five DRAM suppliers in 2002 were Samsung, Micron, Infineon, Hynix and Nanya, as presented in Table 1. The top five suppliers accounted for 82 percent of total worldwide DRAM revenue in 2002.
Besides Samsung and Nanya, other big winners in the DRAM market in 2002 included Infineon Technologies AG, whose sales surged 67 percent for the year. Infineon's sales were boosted by higher ASPs and by increased licensing fees. This propelled Infineon to the third rank in the DRAM market, up from the fourth position in 2002, marking the first time that the German supplier has achieved top-three status in this area.
Infineon just barely edged out struggling Hynix Semiconductor Inc. for the third position. During much of 2002, Hynix was the subject of intense speculation regarding its ownership, financial viability and continued survival. The South Korean semiconductor maker eked out only a modest 11 percent increase in DRAM revenue for the year.
Micron Technology Inc. held on to its second-place ranking.
Just as individual company rankings shifted in 2002, last year brought changes to the regional mix of sales, with Taiwan gaining prominence. Taiwan suppliers controlled 13 percent of the worldwide DRAM market in 2002, compared to 8 percent in 2001.
Worldwide DRAM market share ranking ($ millions)
2002 rank 2001 rank Company 2002 rev. 2001 rev. % change 2002 market share
1 1 Samsung 4985 3205 55% 32.5%
2 2 Micron 2794 2324 20% 18.2%
3 4 Infineon 1965 1175 67% 12.8%
4 3 Hynix 1962 1768 11% 12.8%
5 7 Nanya 844 333 153% 5.5%
6 5 Elpida 615 874 -30% 4.0%
7 11 Winbond 478 130 268% 3.1%
8 8 Mitsubishi 362 261 39% 2.4%
9 10 Mosel Vit. 302 205 47% 2.0%
10 6 Toshiba 287 459 -37% 1.9%
11 13 Powerchip 260 95 274% 1.7%
Source: iSuppli, February 28, 2003 |
