According to a statement by SEAJ (Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan) on August 1, worldwide sales of Japanese semiconductor- and LCD panel-making equipment is forecasted to fall by 9.2% annually in the fiscal year 2005, which ends in March 2006, to 2.0 trillion Yen. Although this will mark the first fall in four years, the sales total will be the third largest ever.

 

Looking at the somewhat longer term, SEAJ expects sales to grow only slightly in the fiscal year 2006, but growth rates for the fiscal year 2007 and 2008 are projected to be 18.7% and 12.6% respectively. Japanese makers of this kind of equipment include Tokyo Electron, Nikon and Canon.  

 

Worldwide Sales Forecast for Japanese Chip- and LCD Panel-Making Equipment, FY 2005 - FY 2008
Fiscal Year	Chip-Making Equipment Sales	LCD-Panel Equipment Sales	Total Sales	Annual Growth Rate
2005	1.5 Tln	497.2 Bln	2.0 Tln	-9.2%
2006	1.5 Tln	546.9 Bln	2.0 Tln	2.6%
2007	1.7 Tln	711.0 Bln	2.4 Tln	18.7%
2008	1.9 Tln	782.1 Bln	2.7 Tln	12.6%
Source: SEAJ; compiled by MIC, August 2005 Note: Sales figures are in Japanese Yen