IC shipments expected to grow 9% in 2022

After a sharp 22% surge in 2021, IC shipment growth rates have returned to long-term growth rates.

 

It is predicted that global IC shipments will increase by 9.2% this year to 427.7 billion, which is close to the IC long-term compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4%. IC shipments experienced a massive 22% increase during the economic recovery in 2021, the largest increase since the boom year of 2010.

 

IC unit shipments in 2022 are expected to reach a record level of 427.7 billion, nearly five times more than in 2000 and nearly 44 times more than in 1980.

 

IC shipments declined in 2019, the fifth year-on-year decline in the history of the IC market. The 4 years before that were 1985, 2001, 2009 and 2012. IC shipments have never declined for two consecutive years.

 

Of the 33 major IC product categories defined by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization, 30 product categories are expected to show positive shipment growth in 2022, with shipments in 3 product categories (SRAM, DSP, and Gate Array) will drop. The overall growth rate across the 12 product areas is expected to match or exceed the projected growth rate of 9.2% this year.

 

From 2021-2026, IC CAGR will be 7%. Ignoring 5-year CAGR time periods with abnormally high or low endpoints, IC Insights sees a long-term CAGR of 7%-8% for IC unit growth, slightly lower than the historical 42-year growth rate of 9.4%.