Dr Moshe Handelsmann may be confident that the semiconductor industry has emphatically turned the corner, but the Semiconductor Industry Association is not so sure. It is forecasting a fall of 0.8% for worldwide sales this year to $48,400m, but it then reckons they will soar to reach $74,700m in 1993. The figures were compiled by World Semiconductor Trade Statistics Inc with the participation of chipmakers worldwide. The forecast is for double digit growth for most sectors for 1991, 1992 and 1993, with MOS logic and MOS memory markets leading the way. The forecast is for 12.8% growth to $54,500m in 1991, 19.5% to $65.2m in 1992, and 14.5% to that $74,700m figure in 1993. The US market is forecast to fall 0.2% to $14,800m this year, growing 14.1% next, 20.5% in 1992 and 14.4% in 1993. Biggest fall this year is seen in Japan, expected to slip 8.4% to $17,500m, with slower growth of 10.5% in 1991, 17.1% in 1992 and 12.8% in 1993. Europe is expected to be the star performer this year, putting on 10.4% to $9,900m, and going on to grow 13% in 1991, 19.3% in 1992 and 15.9% in 1993. The rest of the world is forecast to geow 5.1% this year to $6,100m, 15.8% next, 24.2% in 1992, 17.2% in 1993. Sales of MOS memory parts are to slump 13.8% to $12,300m this year after having soared 30.8% to $14,300m in 1989 – all in constant dollars.
