Worldwide semiconductor equipment billings $10.56 bllion

SAN JOSE, Calif., 17 June 2008. SEMI reported that worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment billings reached $10.56 billion in the first quarter of 2008. The billings figure is seven percent greater than the fourth quarter of 2007 and two percent less than the same quarter a year ago. The data is gathered in cooperation with the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ) from more than 150 global equipment companies that provide data on a monthly basis.

SEMI also reported worldwide semiconductor equipment bookings of US$8.08 billion in the first quarter of 2008. The figure is 23 percent less than the same quarter a year ago, and 11 percent less than the bookings figure for the fourth quarter of 2007.

"While bookings have weakened in the first quarter, overall industry billings remain at levels higher than the end of last year," says Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI. "Some regions, specifically North America, Korea, and China, posted strong quarter-over-quarter growth in spite of the conservative capital environment."