TAIPEI: The nation’s chipmakers posted a combined record-high revenue of NT$1.17 trillion (US$34.8 billion) last year, primarily due to increased demand for advanced chips used in mobile devices from international brands, such as Apple Inc, a statement released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday.
The figure represented 6.2 percent growth from NT$1.1 trillion in 2014, with the foundry sector outpacing others with a 9.7 percent annual expansion to NT$995.3 billion, the statement said.
However, last year’s growth rate was much slower than the 23.9 percent posted for 2014, as demand weakened in the second half of last year due to a faltering economy curtailing consumer electronics sales in emerging markets.
“Foundries are the major revenue contributor as global mobile phone brands continue to roll out new products. It is also aided by constant upgrades to advanced technologies,” the ministry said in the statement.
Taiwan is home to the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 contract chipmakers, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and United Microelectronics Corp. In total, local contract chipmakers held more than 67 percent of the global market share in 2014, the ministry said, citing Gartner Inc figures.
However, DRAM chipmakers including Inotera Memories Inc posted an annual contraction of 12.6 percent and revenue of NT$136.5 billion last year, the ministry’s statistics showed.
Chips are the pillar of the nation’s exports, accounting for nearly 25 percent of exports last year, the ministry said.
China, including Hong Kong, is the largest export destination, with 50 percent of chips exported to the region. However, exports to the region shrank 8 percent last year from a year earlier.
Exports to Singapore, the second-largest chip export destination, also decreased to 12.3 percent last year. Exports to Japan, South Korea and the US increased to 28.6 percent, 9.3 percent and 5.9 percent respectively, ministry statistics showed.
