US-based SEMI ((Semiconductor Equipment Materials International) recently projected that global semiconductor packaging materials market will reach US$20.8 billion by 2024, up from US$17.6 billion in 2019, the Economic Daily News reported on July 29. Growth drivers of packaging materials are to include big data, HPC (High-Performance Computing), AI (Artificial Intelligence), edging computing, advanced memory, and 5G infrastructure demand, the adoption of 5G smartphone and EV (Electronic Vehicle), and the improvement in safety features of automobiles. Over the forecast period, laminate substrates ,which are the largest material segment, are expected to reach a 5% CAGR, while WLP (Wafer-Level Packaging) dielectric to reach a 9% CAGR. Amid COVID-19 pandemic, it is anticipated the global semiconductor market will still grow 1.2% year-on-year in 2020 although it may face a one-to-two quarter delay in demand recovery, according to MIC (Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute), a government think tank and IT research institute in Taiwan.