semiconductor industry a detailed overview
The semiconductor industry is one of the most important and innovative industries in the world, powering a wide range of products and technologies, from smartphones and computers to cars and medical devices. The industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, with sales growing by more than 20% to about $600 billion in 2021. According to a McKinsey report, the global semiconductor market is projected to grow from $590 billion in 2021 to $1,065 billion in 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 7% during the forecast period. To understand how this industry works, we have to understand the value chain of this industry. So let’s start with that.
The semiconductor value chain is the process of transforming raw materials into finished chips that can be integrated into various electronic systems. The value chain involves many different players, such as design firms, equipment manufacturers, foundries, packaging and testing companies, and end customers. The value chain is also highly globalized, with different regions specializing in different segments and collaborating across borders.
In this blog post, we will explore the semiconductor value chain in more detail, including its main components, key players, and current trends.
The semiconductor value chain can be divided into eight layers:
Now let’s understand how each layer is important in the semiconductor manufacturing process with a simple example.
The whole process can be divided into 3 main steps.
Chips are designed by specialized companies called fabless firms, such as Intel, Nvidia, or Qualcomm. They use software tools to create complex patterns of transistors and other components on the dies. These patterns are called layouts.
The layouts are then sent to another type of company called a foundry, such as TSMC, Samsung, or SMIC. Foundries use sophisticated machines called lithography tools to etch the layouts onto the dies using light and chemicals. This process is repeated several times to create multiple layers of circuits on each die.
The dies are then tested for defects and separated from the wafers. They are then sent to another type of company called an assembly and test firm, such as ASE, Amkor, or JCET. These firms attach metal wires and plastic packages to the dies to connect them to external circuits. They also test the chips for functionality and performance.
The chips are then ready to be shipped to customers, such as device makers or system integrators, who use them in their products. Even though the process appears simple, it is actually quite complex, requiring very high levels of expertise at each stage.
The global semiconductor value chain is highly complex and interdependent. It involves hundreds of companies from different countries and regions, each specializing in different parts of the process or technology.
According to a report by Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV), a German think tank, the key players in the value chain can be grouped into six regions: the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Europe, and China.
The United States dominates the design and equipment segments of the value chain. It has many leading fabless firms, such as Intel, Nvidia, or Qualcomm, as well as equipment makers, such as Applied Materials, Lam Research, or KLA. The US also has some foundries, such as GlobalFoundries or Intel (which also designs its own chips), but they are not as advanced as their Asian counterparts.
Taiwan is the leader in contract chip manufacturing or foundry services. It has the world's largest and most advanced foundry, TSMC, which produces chips for many US fabless firms as well as other customers from around the world. Taiwan also has some assembly and test firms, such as ASE or Powertech.
South Korea is the leader in memory chips, such as DRAM or NAND flash. It has two major memory chip makers, Samsung and SK Hynix, which together account for more than 70% of the global market share. South Korea also has some foundries, such as Samsung (which also designs its own chips) or MagnaChip.
Japan is the leader in materials and components for chip making. It has many suppliers of silicon wafers, chemicals, gases, or packaging materials, such as Shin-Etsu Chemicals, Sumitomo Chemicals, and Mitsui Chemicals.
Europe has a strong position in the design and production of equipment and materials for chip fabrication, as well as in the development of specialized chips for automotive, industrial, and security applications. Some major companies from Europe include STMicroelectronics, NXP Semiconductors, Infineon Technologies, ASML, and Soitec.
China, on the other hand, has a large market share in the assembly, testing, and packaging of chips, which is the final stage of the value chain. China also has a growing presence in chip design, especially for mobile devices and artificial intelligence. Major Chinese players are Huawei, SMIC, HiSilicon, Tsinghua Unigroup, and JCET.
Apart from these regions, there are some other important participants in the value chain. For example, the UK hosts Semiconductor IP houses that license IP blocks to fabless firms. India majorly contributes to design verification teams that verify specifications and layout. The Netherlands hosts Fab Equipment and Process Equipment manufacturers which make complex machines used by fabs to manufacture chips.
India is a key player in the global semiconductor value chain, especially in the design and research stages. India currently participates in different service offerings. For example, companies like LTTS work with some of the global semiconductor design and fab leaders.
India accounts for 20% of the total global design workforce, thanks to its talented pool of engineers and its dynamic ICT ecosystem. Many Indian companies have partnered with global semiconductor leaders such as Intel, Samsung, Qualcomm, and TSMC to provide innovative solutions for various sectors such as automotive, AI, 5G, and quantum computing. But India does not have high-level expertise in complex design and manufacturing. We majorly depend on imports when it comes to semiconductor chips. The country can leverage its existing strengths in design and software to focus on niche segments such as analog, power, and sensors.
India is trying to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub with its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The PLI scheme offers financial incentives to domestic and foreign companies that invest in setting up semiconductor fabrication units (fabs) or display fabrication units (DFUs) in India.
The scheme aims to reduce India's dependence on semiconductor imports, which amounted to $21 billion in FY20, and cater to the growing domestic demand for electronics products. The scheme also aims to attract investments worth $15 billion over five years and create employment for about three lakh people. Domestic companies like Vedanta have also shown interest in partnering with global companies to set up a fab facility in India.
However, India faces several challenges and constraints in becoming a semiconductor
manufacturing hub, such as a lack of highly skilled manpower, infrastructure gaps, policy uncertainties, and competition from other countries. On top of that partner companies’ merger and acquisition slows down the pace.
For example, ISMC and Tower (a partnership) had applied for the PLI for a semiconductor manufacturing facility. Now Tower is being acquired by Intel. So, currently, it can not sign the agreement and proceed forward. Even Vedanta and Foxconn’s JV is also moving at a slower pace as their discussion to add STMicroelectronics as a third partner is in a deadlock.
With more and more innovation in fields like AI and edge computing, the semiconductor industry will inevitably grow in the future. According to various sources, the global semiconductor market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6% to 12% from 2022 to 2029. The growth is driven by increasing demand for semiconductor materials in emerging technologies such as AI, autonomous driving, IoT, and 5G, as well as competition among key players and consistent spending on research and development.
However, the semiconductor value chain is also facing multiple challenges, such as geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, supply shortages, and market concentration. These challenges pose risks to the security of supply, technological competitiveness, and strategic autonomy of different regions.
In response to geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, and supply chain disruptions, many countries are investing in building or expanding their domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, while also strengthening their regional partnerships and alliances. For example, the United States has announced a $52 billion plan to boost its semiconductor industry, while Europe has set a goal of producing 20% of the world's chips by 2030. Even India is trying to set up Fab units in the country by providing incentives through the PLI scheme.
As discussed in the blog, complete self-sufficiency is impossible for any region as the semiconductor value chain is highly diversified across geographics. So, cooperation with global leaders across different layers will be the only way to efficient operation and growth of this industry.
