Wireless, Consumer Sectors Boost Semiconductor Sales

Compiled ByJill Jusko Demand by the computer and computer-related sectors may be lagging, but a strong showing by the wireless and consumers sectors is helping strengthen the U.S. semiconductor industry, an industry trade association reports. The Semiconductor Industry Association says chip sales reached a monthly average of $11.35 billion in the second quarter of 2002, an increase of 5.8% from a monthly average of $10.73 billion in the first quarter. The wireless and consumer sectors drove strong sales in Flash, digital signal processors, application specific products, and discretes and analogs, the San Jose, Calif.-based organization says. In regional terms, Japan and the Asia Pacific are driving sales, SIA says. Sales in Japan increased by 16.3% in the current quarter versus the last. In the Asia-Pacific region, the increase reached 11%. Sales dropped in all other regions during the second quarter of 2002. The digital consumer sector led the sales increase in Japan, while outsourcing of board level and box manufacturing is driving sales in China.