IC Insights’ latest research reveals that just six of the 35 major semiconductor suppliers are expected to collectively spend about $5.2bn more in 2012 than in 2011.
The survey ranks the major semiconductor companies and shows that Intel, Samsung, Hynix, TSMC, UMC and Rohm are the top six players having significant capital expenditure budgets for this year.
In contrast, the total of the remaining capital spending outlays are forecast to decline by about $7.5bn this year.
With an increase of $1.7bn, Intel is predicted to show the biggest dollar increase in capex spending for 2012, though it is likely to trail Samsung in overall capex spending for 2012, the research revealed.
Despite the results, the total semiconductor capital spending forecast figure for 2012 was raised to $63.3bn from $60.7bn and total 2012 semiconductor industry capital expenditures are now forecast to decline only 3% this year as compared to the previous forecast of 8% decline.
The survey reveals few of the major outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) companies are also preparing to significantly increase their capital spending in 2012.
These OSAT firms include Amkor from $493m in 2011 to $550m this year, SPIL from $376m in 2011 to $585m this year, and STATS ChipPAC from $304m in 2011 to $400m this year.
IC Insights believes that this rise in spending budget by some of these OSAT players indicates their belief that semiconductor unit volume shipments will be on the rebound in 2012.
