2011 was a record year for the semiconductor industry in many regards. First and foremost, semiconductor revenues approached the long elusive $300 billion mark.

European competitiveness in the semiconductor industry was the focus of the SEMI Industry Strategy Symposium Europe 2012 executive conference recently held in Munich, Germany.

As the semiconductor industry responds to increasing demands for lower power, higher performance and reduced form factor, packaging technologies are increasingly important.

Combined, laminate substrates and leadframes will represent an estimated US$ 13.3 billion market in 2011 and is forecasted to reach $14 billion in 2012.

Following a record year in terms of semiconductor sales and unit shipments, 2011 turned into a lower growth year than initially expected with several challenges emerging for the packaging material suppliers.

After the devastating natural disaster in March, Japan’s semiconductor industry has once again proven that it can overcome disaster and recover quickly.

The semiconductor memory industry has a long history of fluctuating market cycles.

The transition to manufacturing semiconductors on larger wafers continues to be one of the hottest topics in the industry.

Megatrends Pointing Upward — but Scaling, EUV, 450 Remain Major Hurdles

Smart phones, tablets, e-readers and other mobile applications are increasingly replacing PCs as the key drivers of the semiconductor industry.