Good news: SEMI says the global semiconductor materials market expanded 14% in 2007 to $42B, with the packaging sector topping out at $17B (a 9% increase over 2006). Looking forward, thanks in large part to the widespread adoption of advanced packaging technologies, SEMI expects the global semiconductor materials market to grow more than 11% this year.

If you missed out on SI's webcast, "Through-Silicon Vias: Ready for Prime Time?" last week, don't despair. The webcast is available online on demand and Editor-in-Chief Laura Peters wrote a wrap-up of the event, which you can find in the Editor's Picks below. Keep up to date with more advanced packaging news and events at our Packaging Technology Channel:

Sally Cole Johnson, Contributing Editor
scolejohnson@mac.com

Semi Materials Post Record Revenues for Fourth Straight Year
Market Wire, 3/31/2008

The global semiconductor materials market grew 14% in 2007 and is forecasted to grow over 11% in 2008, according to the latest materials forecast from SEMI. While the semiconductor industry grew 3% in 2007 to reach the $256B published by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), the global semiconductor materials market grew 14% in 2007 to reach a record $42B. Growth was seen in both the wafer fabrication materials and packaging sectors, with increases of 17% or $25B and 9% or $17B, respectively. More

iNEMI Launching Studies of Lead-Free Alloys
Staff — Semiconductor International, 4/2/2008

The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI, Herndon, Va.) said it is organizing projects related to lead-free alternatives, adoption of boundary scan technology, and solder paste deposition challenges. Jim McElroy, CEO of iNEMI, said the consortium seeks to ease the transition to lead-free alloys as suppliers of ball grid array (BGA) packaging search for alloys that provide acceptable mechanical shock performance. Suppliers are also concerned about the high cost of alloys. More

Nordson Names Steven Kew to Lead Dage Holdings
PR Newswire, 3/31/2008

Nordson Corp. announced the appointment of Steven Kew as chief executive of its subsidiary Dage Holdings, effective April 1. Kew replaces retiring Dage Chief Executive Geraint Rees. More

Tessera's ITC Action to Resume Following Overturn Ruling
Business Wire, 3/28/2008

Tessera Technologies Inc. announced that the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued written notice of its unanimous order denying a stay of the case. The ITC's ruling reverses a Feb. 26, 2008, order by the Administrative Law Judge. The order mandates that proceedings in Tessera's wireless ITC action against Motorola, Freescale, Qualcomm and others shall be reinstated at "the earliest practicable time." More

Kingston Technology's 2007 Revenues Climb
Business Wire, 3/25/2008

Kingston Technology Corp.'s total global sales for 2007 reached a record $4.5B, a $800M jump from 2006 revenues. The marked increase was largely the result of its thriving flash memory business, which Kingston entered on a large scale in 2003. More

ASAT Holdings Announces Financial Results
PR Newswire, 3/28/2008

ASAT Holdings Ltd. recently announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2008, ended Jan. 31, 2008. Net revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2008 increased for the third consecutive quarter to $41.8M. This compares with net revenue of $40.2M in the previous quarter. Third quarter net loss improved to $5M, or a net loss of $0.12 per American Depositary Share (ADS), compared with a net loss of $5.2M, or a net loss of $0.13 per ADS in the second quarter. More

SEMI Reports 2007 Global Equipment Sales
Market Wire, 3/24/2008

SEMI reported that worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment totaled $42.8B in 2007, representing a year-over-year increase of 6%. More