Skilled Labor Shortage for Quartz Tube Fabricator Concerns TECHCET—the electronic materials advisory firm providing business and technology information—announces that the market for quartz components and parts used in Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) tools is now forecasted to decline 3-5% in 2020 to reach US$1,187M. However, this market is still expected to experience a 4% CAGR from 2019 to 2024 as shown in the figure. Other highlights from the 2020…

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Pre-registrants for 2020 CMC Conference access COVID-19 Info May 29, 2020: The Critical Materials Council (CMC) of semiconductor fabricators & suppliers is continuing to work to mitigate potential supply-chain disruptions by conducting surveys and holding virtual workshops. The May survey on COVID-19 impacts indicates that the global supply-chain for critical materials is strong, with two-thirds of suppliers reporting no disruptions. The CMC has now opened attendance at monthly COVID-19…

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Pre-registrants for 2020 CMC Conference access COVID-19 Info These extraordinary times of greater risks call for more information, so the Critical Materials Council (CMC) of semiconductor fabricators & suppliers is now meeting briefly several times a month to exchange pre-competitive information to mitigate potential supply-chain disruptions. The last meetings exposed a likely shortage in iso-propyl alcohol (IPA) looming just over the business horizon due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The…

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Risky Sailing on the Global Supply-Chain Seas TECHCET announces that: • 2020 global material revenues in semiconductor manufacturing forecasted to decline by 3.0% year-over-year (YoY) despite growth in 1Q2020, • Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy is creating choppy waters for shipping and supplying critical materials, as highlighted in recent Critical Materials Council (CMC) monthly meetings, and • With a return of global economic growth by 2021,…

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TECHCET announced that Fluorite, needed for hydrofluoric acid (HF), prices in China have decrease by 9% over the last several months. The price situation is dynamic, with China regulators tightening environmental standards resulting in export restrictions and the need to import some raw materials, as detailed in TECHCET’s latest Wet Chemicals & Cleans Quarterly Market Update. South Korea & Japan have de-Whitelisted each other, thus increasing requirements for exporting…

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Logic fabs leading in capacity and technology investments San Diego, CA, January 14, 2020: TECHCET announced that global revenues for semiconductor manufacturing and packaging materials are expected to grow 5.7% year-over-year (YoY) in 2020 to US$49.5B, of which 65% represents semiconductor fab materials. The memory chip downturn in 2019 reduced total materials market revenues by 2.8% to US$46.8B in 2019, while the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2023…

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San Diego, November 25, 2019: TECHCET announced that the global market for Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Sputter Targets is declining by 1.5% in response to semiconductor fabrication market challenges in 2019. However, 5% growth is forecasted for 2020, with the non-precious-metal segment expected to reach US$690 million. Including precious metals the 2020 Sputter Target market is expected to reach US$1,084 million, as detailed in the latest Critical Materials Report™…

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Intel Keynote will lead off April 23–24 event in Hillsboro, Oregon San Diego, CA, November 21: The Critical Materials Council (CMC) of semiconductor fabricators and TECHCET announce a Call For Papers (CFP) to be presented at the 2020 CMC Conference, happening April 23-24 in Hillsboro, Oregon. As per the prior CMC Conferences (cmcfabs.org/cmc-conference-2020/), the 2020 event will explore actionable technical and supply-chain trends related to critical materials for global…

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At the recently concluded TECHCET Critical Materials Council (CMC) Seminar in Taoyuan, Taiwan, a diverse gathering of industry experts discussed materials value-chain topics including quality issues, logistics best practices, and geopolitical disruptions. Seminar participants included individuals from device makers, material suppliers, and equipment and component providers from China, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the U.S. The keynote presentation by Mr. K. C. Hsu, Vice President of Micron Memory…

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