The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $83.1bn during the first quarter of 2015, an increase of 6.0% compared to the first quarter of 2014. Global sales for the month of March 2015 were $27.7bn, 6.0% higher than the March 2014 total of $26.1bn and 0.1% lower than April 2015’s total. All monthly sales numbers are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics organization and represent a three-month moving average.
“Despite macroeconomic challenges, first quarter global semiconductor sales are higher than they were last year, which was a record year for semiconductor revenue,” said John Neuffer, President and CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association. “The Americas region posted its sixth straight month of double-digit, year-to-year growth to lead all regional markets, and DRAM and analogue products continue to be key drivers of global sales growth.”
Regionally, sales were up compared April 2015 in Asia Pacific/All Other by 3.1%, in Europe sales rose by 2.7%, and China 1.0%, which has been broken out as a separate country in the sales data for the first time. Japan declined by 0.4% and the Americas slipped back 6.9% month-on-month. Compared to March 2014, sales increased in the Americas by 14.2%, China by 13.3% and Asia Pacific/ All Other by 3.8%, but decreased in Europe by 4.0% and Japan by 9.6%.
“Congress is considering a legislative initiative called Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) that would help promote continued growth in the semiconductor sector and throughout the U.S. economy,” Neuffer continued. “Free trade is vital to the U.S. semiconductor industry. In 2014, U.S. semiconductor company sales totaled $173bn, representing over half the global market, and 82%of those sales were to customers outside the United States. TPA paves the way for free trade, and Congress should swiftly enact it.”
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