Semiconductor sector sees market recovery

Published by rudy Date posted on May 11, 2009

MANILA, Philippines—The semiconductor industry may be on its way to recovery, as capacity utilization of manufacturing plants worldwide have started to pick up this quarter.

Research firm iSuppli Corp. said capacity utilization was expected to rise to 60 percent in April to June, the first such increase in a year.

In the first quarter, it said capacity utilization was only at 49 percent.

“The expected rise in utilization rates in the second quarter signals that the semiconductor industry has entered into the recovery phase,” iSuppli director and chief analyst for semiconductor manufacturing Len Jelinek said in a statement.

To keep pace with the decline in global demand, most chip manufacturers last year cut their workforce and shut down equipment deemed unnecessary.

These moves brought global semiconductor manufacturing capacity down to 732 million square inches of silicon in the first quarter, from 756 million the quarter before.

“These actions are paying off. The results will be manifested in the form of improving margins for semiconductor integrated device manufacturers and pure-play foundries in the second quarter,” Jelinek said.

“Depending on how effectively they’ve cut costs and adjusted to reduced demand, companies will be able to show solid financial improvements,” he added.

As plant capacity is now aligned with demand, iSuppli sees utilization further improving to 75 percent in the third quarter, before slightly declining again in the last quarter. –Abigail L. Ho, Philippine Daily Inquirer

July 2025

Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.

Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar.  Reject Military!

#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors. Time to spark a global conversation. Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!

July


3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 Ju
ly – International Plastic Bag Free Day
 
5 July –
World Youth Skills Day 
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day 
17 July – World Day for
International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons 


Monthly Observances:

Schools Safety Month

Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month

Weekly Observances:

Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week

 

Daily Observances:

First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines

Categories

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.