A light at the end of the Semiconductor tunnel?
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.
---------------
Contact:
IC Insights, Scottsdale
Bill McClean, 602/348-1133
bill@icinsights.com
or
Fisher-Holstein Inc., Auburn
John Kanz, 602/483-0297
fisher.holstein@mindspring.com |
