Growth in Global Silicon Wafer Shipments Driven by AI Demand as Industrial and Automotive Markets Show Signs of Recovery
MILPITAS, Calif., July 29, 2026 -- The SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) reported today, in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry, that worldwide silicon wafer shipments increased 7.4% year-on-year to 3,573 million square inches (MSI) from the 3,327 MSI recorded during the same quarter of 2025. Shipments increased 9.1% quarter-over-quarter from the 3,275 MSI recorded during the first quarter of 2026.
"Silicon wafer shipments maintained steady growth in the second quarter, driven by strong and increasing AI-related demand beyond advanced logic and memory to include power devices, photonics, and other markets," said Ginji Yada, Chairman of SEMI SMG and Managing Executive Officer, General Manager, Sales and Marketing Division at SUMCO Corporation. "In addition, industrial and automotive demand is recovering, while memory price pressures are contributing to constrained PC and smartphone demand. Device manufacturers are investing heavily in capacity expansion, and silicon wafer demand growth is expected to continue."
Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for the majority of semiconductors, which are vital components of all electronic devices. The highly engineered thin disks are produced in diameters of up to 300 mm and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductors are fabricated.
The SMG is a sub-committee of the SEMI Electronic Materials Group (EMG) and is open to SEMI members involved in manufacturing polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon or silicon wafers (e.g., as cut, polished, epitaxial). The SMG facilitates collective efforts on issues related to the silicon industry, including the development of statistics about the silicon industry.
For more information, visit SEMI Worldwide Silicon Wafer Shipment Statistics.
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