The leading manufacturers of semiconductor equipment expect sales to decline 19% this year from the $28 billion posted in 2001, according to the mid-year edition of the SEMI Capital Equipment Consensus Forecast, released by Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) at the annual SEMICON(R) West exposition. Survey respondents anticipate the industry to sell $22.8 billion of new chip manufacturing, testing and assembly equipment in 2002. The forecast indicates that, as the capital equipment market upturn strengthens, the market will grow 29% 2003, to reach $29.5 billion, and 23% in 2004 to $36.2 billion. Survey respondents see the cyclic market growth contracting slightly in 2005.

The SEMI website is located at http://www.semi.org.