Semiconductor Market Upturn Close At Hand:
Maybe just PR noise, but hopefully still of interest:
biz.yahoo.com
Friday August 7, 9:14 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
The Semiconductor Market Upturn Is Close At Hand,
According to IC Insights and Fisher-Holstein Inc.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 1998--IC Insights and Fisher-Holstein, Inc.,
announced today the publication of their research predicting that the global semiconductor market is
about to come out of a 2 year slump widely viewed as one of the worst in industry history.
''The Semiconductor Market Upturn: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!,'' is a special feature available on the
Semiconductor Fabtech site. (http://www.fabtech.org/features/index.html)
Mr. Bill McClean, Dr. Kanz and Dr. Lam, forecast that 1999 will be a moderately good year with
growth of 10%, followed by a strong year in 2000 with the industry growing 24%. The year 2001 will
be a banner year as the industry grows 30%.
The prediction is based on a published report, ''1998-2002 IC Industry Market Forecast Report'', by IC
Insights. Both unit volumes and average selling prices, leading indicators of industry health, are
forecasted to recover in the second half of 1998. According to IC Insights and Fisher-Holstein Inc.,
companies affected by the semiconductor slump include Intel (Nasdaq:INTC - news), Motorola
(NYSE:MOT - news), IBM (NYSE:IBM - news), TI (NYSE:TXN - news), Micron (NYSE:MU -
news), NEC, Toshiba, Hitachi, Siemens, AMD, Samsung, Hyundai, LG Semicon, Philips, Fujitsu,
TSMC, UMC, Chartered Semiconductor and others.
Bill McClean commented, ''The market for electronic equipment is healthy and projected to grow at
9% in 1999, up from an anemic 3% in 1998. Short of unforeseen events like a drastic decline in the yen
and other factors, the industry is poised to return to its historical growth path.''
Dr. Kanz noted, ''Historically, the industry overbuilds during a boom, leading to a bust, and then
underbuilds during the bust, driving it into the next building boom. The time to start planning new
facilities and capacity is at the bottom of the downturn. That avoids running short of capacity during the
upturn and incurring sizable opportunity costs from not having sufficient capacity, and hence losing
market share, when prices and profits peak.''
Dr. Lam commented, ''Using a Lifecycle Cost-of-Ownership approach to analyzing, managing and
planning fab facilities and expansion plans is a proven way to avoid pitfalls and to optimize fabs for
profitability.''
To obtain a copy of the IC Insights report ''1998-2002 IC Industry Market Forecast Report'' ($295),
call 602-348-1133.
IC Insights (www.icinsights.com) is a leader in market research for the semiconductor industry.
Fisher-Holstein, Inc. (fisher.holstein.home.mindspring.com) is a leader in Lifecycle Cost-of-Ownership
Analysis and capacity planning for high technology firms.
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