The global semiconductor materials market recorded a 3.8% revenue increase in 2024, according to the SEMI Materials Market Data Subscription (MMDS). This latest figure highlights the recovery of the broader semiconductor industry and the escalating need for advanced materials supporting high-performance computing and high-bandwidth memory manufacturing. SEMI, representing essential segments of the electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, noted that these factors contributed significantly to the overall uptick in materials revenue for the year.
Wafer fabrication materials saw their revenue climb by 3.3% to an unspecified total, while packaging materials experienced even stronger growth, rising 4.7% in 2024. The report specifically called out segments such as chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), photoresist, and photoresist ancillaries for robust double-digit growth. This surge was attributed to the greater processing complexity now required for cutting-edge DRAM, 3D NAND flash, and advanced logic integrated circuits. With the push for miniaturization and performance, every segment of the semiconductor materials market except for silicon and silicon-on-insulator (SOI) reported year-over-year revenue gains.
Despite the overall market expansion, the demand for silicon remained subdued, particularly in the trailing-edge technologies segment. The sector continued to experience soft demand due to the ongoing process of clearing excess inventory, resulting in a 7.1% decline in silicon revenue. The data underscores both the cyclical nature of semiconductor demand and the rising importance of advanced materials in next-generation electronics manufacturing.
