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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (41250)	1/3/2001 1:55:36 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

IC shrinks will help fab tool sales to grow 45.9% in 2001, says analyst Semiconductor Business News (01/03/01 12:15 p.m. EST) NEW TRIPOLI, Pa. -- While some analysts are predicting a dramatic slowdown in semiconductor equipment sales in 2001, one market research firm here is sticking with its prediction that wafer fab tool revenues will grow 45.9% in 2001. The Information Network also today estimated that fab equipment sales increased by 31.8% in the fourth quarter of 2000. "Despite the slowdown in the fourth quarter, the semiconductor equipment industry registered record growth of 76.1% in all of 2000," said Robert N. Castellano, president of the New Tripoli-based research firm. "A slowdown in the semiconductor industry over the next quarter because of inventory corrections will be a boom for equipment manufacturers in 2001. IC manufacturers will need to fill empty fab shells with equipment to increase capacity once they recognize that the "herd mentality of doom-and-gloom" was premature and strong demands for ICs will continue." Two months ago, Castellano predicted that fab euqipment sales would grow at 45.9% to $65.2 billion in 2001 from $44.7 billion in 2000 (see Nov. 1 story). Other market researchers have lowered growth estimates to around 10% for worldwide semiconductor equipment sales--counting both frontend wafer-processing tools and backend chip-assembly systems. The acceleration of fine-line processes will play a key factor in fab investments this year, according to Castellano. "The revamped 2000 ITRS [international technology] roadmap--where production of ICs at 0.13-micron design rules is anticipated to begin in 2001, not 2002, as had been detailed in the 1999 roadmap--will also dictate the need for advanced tools that will expand equipment purchases in 2001," Castellano added. Subject 50522