Abstract
The global semiconductor industry is gradually coming out of a sharp downturn that plagued it during 1998 and much of 1999. The recovery is good news, but for the chemical companies that supply semiconductor makers with crucial raw materials, life after the downturn just isn't the same. Global semiconductor sales fell 8% last year to $125 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association, San Jose, Calif., as the Asian economic crisis and general market softness took their toll. The situation was even more dire among suppliers of equipment and materials to the semiconductor industry, with 1998 sales plummeting 21% to $21.8 billion, according to Semiconductor Equipment & Materials International (SEMI), Mountain View, Calif. In contrast, this year is turning up nicely. After a slow start, worldwide semiconductor sales in 1999 are expected to end 12% higher than last year, and equipment and materials sales should grow by 9%. Even rosier forecasts are being made for ...
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