SEMI Report
President Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI)
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 4/1/1998
The global nature of our industry becomes very apparent if you study the SEMI-sponsored events planned between now and SEMICON West, which is only three months away.
SEMICON China 98
This exposition in Shanghai April 22-24 promises to be extremely well attended and has the support of all China's governmental and private organizations involved in developing that country's semiconductor technology. In years past it was accepted that China was not ready for the most advanced technology, but now SEMI is being assured that the latest five-year plan for technology is very aggressive and will require the best available equipment.
SEMICON Test, Assembly &
Packaging 98
Often referred to as "SEMICON Singapore," this event continues to be highly
focused on back-end technology in keeping with Singapore's image as Asia's center for
assembly and packaging facilities. Like the San Jose, Calif., portion of SEMICON West in
July, this exposition and conference May 5-7 addresses the major TAP challenges ahead as
the industry progresses
along the new semiconductor industry Roadmap.
CIS Executive Mission and Exhibit
Moscow is the location for this June 1-4 activity, but the audience is expected to come from Zelenograd and other fast-growing electronics centers in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Those who have not visited Russia in several years can expect to be shocked at the rapidly changing cultural lifestyle of Moscow. Its focus on better living includes, of course, a dynamic consumer electronics market, which is why the government is placing major emphasis on developing partnerships between its semiconductor companies and the rest of the world.
SEMICON Kansai 98 and FPD Expo Japan 98
From June 3-5, Osaka will be the focal point for the world's fast-growing flat panel display industry, which is still strongly dominated by Asian companies. All SEMI members selling products into this marketplace will certainly be on hand at the convention center, Intex Osaka.
On to Munich
The final SEMICON Europa held in Switzerland, as it has been since it began many years ago, was a very positive event. It seemed to reflect the positive mood of the European semiconductor industry and its equipment and materials suppliers, who are enjoying the strongest business in years. For many reasons, not the least of which is the greater simplicity in conducting an exposition in a European Union country, this popular event will move to Munich, Germany, in 1999.
One reason for the move is the availability of the new Munich Messe exposition center, which formally opened in February with an impressive event that drew leaders from industry and government alike. I was privileged to attend the opening, and I can assure you that this is one of the best designed exhibit centers I have seen anywhere in the world. It is a beautiful spot for attendees, with many open park-like areas for rest periods, ample parking and the convenience of having conference facilities and exhibit space all in one location. Equally important is that everything has been designed to assure a smooth move-in, which is important to exhibitors.
At the time SEMI had to move SEMICON Europa out of Zurich for lack of space, a move to Munich was preferred by some over Geneva, which is farther from the heart of Europe's semiconductor manufacturing regions. At the time, however, there was no adequate space available at the right time of year for this traditional March/April event. We are pleased that the Munich Messe was undertaken, on the grounds of the old Munich airport, and that it has turned out to be as good as promised. The excitement for our first Munich show is already building, and I believe it will be the most successful European show we have ever held.
SEMInvest Scores Big with Financial Community
There were many "doubting Thomases" when SEMI organized the first investment conference ever held that focused solely on the semiconductor equipment and materials industry. The doubters were skeptical for two reasons: Did SEMI member company executives really have time for another event requiring them to be out of the office a full week, between New York and London, and did the financial community really need yet another high-technology investor's conference? The first SEMInvest last year proved to be successful with both SEMI's publicly traded companies and investors. The second annual event, in late February and early March, was even more so, with more than 300 registered in New York and almost 75 in London.
Clearly, the investment community has heard the message that this is the industry that is driving new technology, and we discovered that its interest is more than just superficial. The latest event began with a morning-long tutorial session on how semiconductors are made, and the interest was high, with more than 200 investors and market analysts registering for the tutorial program.
One of the most popular presentations in both locations was the luncheon speech by Ken Levy, chairman and CEO of KLA-Tencor, who did a decade-by-decade analysis of the past 40 years in semiconductor production. He illustrated how investors who understood the technology challenges of each decade well enough to spot the companies that came up with solutions for those challenges could have fared better than if they invested an equivalent amount into many of the leading semiconductor companies in the same decades. It was a fascinating research project and one that SEMI plans to publish in Channel magazine at some later date.
The dates are already set for SEMInvest 99, which will be held Feb. 17-19 in New York. An alternative approach to the European portion is being considered, perhaps a little later and tied in some way with the Munich SEMICON Europa.
