Bachelor thesis about the semiconductor industy

[Robin123]

Dear All,

I am a Dutch student studying International Business and I am writing my thesis regarding the semiconductor industry. I am currently doing some field research and I would like to gather as much opinions as possible. Would you be so kind and answer the following questions?

• What do you think are the latest and biggest trends within the semiconductor industry.
• Do you think there is a lot of competition between companies that make semiconductor equipment?
• Do you think that the switching costs for a semiconductor company are high when they change from machinery?
• What are the biggest threats for the semiconductor industry?
• How do you think the market of semiconductor equipment is developing itself a the moment?
• How do you think the Chinese market of semiconductor is developing itself at the moment?

Additional question: do you have any knowledge regarding the ashing / dry-strip industry?


If people would like to help me with answering these questions I would grateful.

Thank you ever so much.

Kind regards,
Robin

 

[Daniel Payne]

Robin,

Those are some astute questions, here's my take at answers:

• What do you think are the latest and biggest trends within the semiconductor industry.
  • The emergence of the pure-play foundry plus fabless semiconductor companies.
  • Transition from planar CMOS to FinFET devices.
  • 2.5D and 3D IC packaging
• Do you think there is a lot of competition between companies that make semiconductor equipment?
  • Continued consolidation in semi equipment companies, so in a sense less competition.
• Do you think that the switching costs for a semiconductor company are high when they change from machinery?
  • Yes, it's an incredible barrier and more difficult at each node to recover the R&D costs.
• What are the biggest threats for the semiconductor industry?
  • A slow down in worldwide demand.
• How do you think the market of semiconductor equipment is developing itself at the moment?
  • Fewer suppliers, slower growth.
• How do you think the Chinese market of semiconductor is developing itself at the moment?
  • Mostly it's TSMC driving the foundry business by choosing to not compete with their customers.