材料汇·2025-08-28 15:29Core Viewpoint - The wafer foundry industry is a crucial segment of the semiconductor sector, characterized by its capital and technology intensity, and is experiencing significant growth driven by AI and automotive electronics demand [1][11]. Group 1: What is Wafer Foundry? - Wafer foundry refers to the specialized manufacturing of semiconductor wafers, accepting orders from integrated circuit (IC) design companies without engaging in design itself [1][14]. - The wafer foundry industry consists of an upstream segment involving semiconductor materials and equipment, a midstream segment for wafer processing services, and a downstream segment for packaging and testing [1][18]. - Manufacturing processes are categorized into advanced logic processes and specialty processes, with advanced processes defined as those below 14nm and mature processes as those at 28nm and above [1][27]. Group 2: Advantages and Challenges of Wafer Foundry - The wafer foundry industry shows a clear trend towards domestic production, with increasing market demand and government support for the semiconductor industry [2][37]. - Challenges include geopolitical instability, significant first-mover advantages held by leading companies, reliance on key materials, and yield issues [2][42]. Group 3: Current Market Status - The semiconductor industry is currently in a favorable economic cycle, with global wafer production capacity expected to grow from 31.5 million wafers per month in 2024 to 33.7 million in 2025, representing growth rates of 6% and 7% respectively [3][47]. - Global semiconductor sales are projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9% from 2025 to 2030 [4][50]. - The competitive landscape is characterized by a "one strong, many strong" structure, with TSMC holding a 60% market share, while China is expected to dominate mature processes by 2027 [4][54]. Group 4: Major Companies in Mainland China - Major players in China's wafer foundry sector include SMIC, Hua Hong Semiconductor, and Jinghe Integrated [5][60]. - SMIC is recognized as a leading integrated circuit wafer foundry in China, achieving significant revenue growth and technological advancements in logic and specialty processes [6][62]. - Hua Hong Semiconductor is noted for its comprehensive specialty process platform and has consistently expanded its revenue, ranking fifth globally among pure wafer foundry companies [7][64]. - Jinghe Integrated has achieved the top market share in the liquid crystal panel driver chip foundry sector and has shown substantial revenue growth [8][67]. Group 5: Technology Development Trends - The global wafer foundry capacity is expanding, with advanced processes like 3nm and 2nm becoming increasingly competitive, driven by the rise of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) demands [10][29]. - The investment required for advanced processes has significantly increased, with estimates suggesting that 2nm technology may require close to $28 billion in investment [30][30]. - The concept of "Wafer Foundry 2.0" has emerged, encompassing not only wafer manufacturing but also packaging, testing, and other integrated services [32][32].