Global semiconductor capacity to reach 30 million wafers per month by 2024

SEMI’s world wafer factory forecast predicts a strong year ahead for the industry, driven by multiple influencing factors. The end result is a projected global chip capacity growth of 6.4%, with human monthly wafer starts reaching 30 million pieces (WSPM). This marks a significant milestone, reflecting the increasing importance of semiconductors across nearly every industry.

This year’s projected growth comes after a 5.5% increase in 2023. However, the number of new wafer fabs planned to open this year is nearly four times the previous amount. In 2023, 11 new chip factories were commissioned. This year, 42 factories will commence production globally.

As emphasized in the SEMI report, these wafer factories will produce chips of various nodes and wafer sizes ranging from 100mm to 300mm. This signals a positive trend of diversification and expansion in the industry—considering the sustained demand for both traditional components and advanced chips, this is an important development.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a driving force for high-end storage chips, and its significance is growing due to the increasing number of end uses in consumer devices. Memory manufacturers are expected to begin slowly increasing capacity—although their pace may be much slower compared to other areas.

Finally, SEMI points out that the discrete and analog sectors are expected to experience their own growth due to the demand in the electric vehicle (EV) market. As many countries set 2030 as a key target for transitioning to electric vehicles, the demand for relevant components will steadily rise. Considering the temperature adaptability and power switch performance of silicon carbide chips, they are particularly crucial.
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