SEMI's Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) said on November 4 that global silicon wafer shipments reached 3.756 billion square inches in Q3 2026, about 2.423 million square meters, equivalent to 33.21 million 300mm wafers, up 13.4% year-over-year and 5.1% quarter-over-quarter.
Masatsugu Miura, SEMI SMG chairman and GM of SUMCO's sales and marketing department, said Q3 wafer shipments grew on strong AI-related demand and improving industrial demand. AI-related demand continues to expand beyond advanced logic and memory into power devices and photonics. Industrial demand strengthened on robotics, AI server power, and recovering general industrial semiconductor demand, while bonding and advanced packaging applications continue to support demand for 300mm polished wafers.
ICgoodFind Summary: Silicon wafer shipments rose 13.4% year-over-year, with AI demand extending from advanced logic and memory to power devices, photonics, and 300mm polished wafers for advanced packaging. As the most upstream material indicator, consecutive quarter-over-quarter growth in wafer shipments shows fab wafer start pace is still accelerating.
