Aug 13, 2012 After a strong showing in 2010 and early 2011, the SMT equipment market posted declining numbers in the second half of 2011 and the beginning of 2012. At the end of the second quarter of 2012, however, SIPLACE's market analysts see first signs of a further economic upswing. New orders and deliveries are especially on the rise in China, which currently accounts for roughly 50 percent of the global market. The rest of Asia as well as North and South America are lagging behind, but a look at the quarterly numbers shows some light growth or stabilization in these areas as well. However, all in all the results still remain below last year’s level. In light of the uncertainties caused by the euro crisis, only Europe exhibits a negative trend, albeit with signs of a slight slowdown. As far as SIPLACE is concerned, the news from the company's analysis is positive: the new SIPLACE SX platform is an especially great success in North and South America. During the first six months of 2012, SIPLACE Amcas managed to increase its share of new machine deliveries considerably and almost doubled this share gain in terms of new orders.
The economic recovery becomes particularly apparent in a quarter-over-quarter comparison. While deliveries increased by one digit numbers in the first quarter of 2012, they rose almost five times as much from the first to the second quarter of 2012. The fact that the deliveries in the Chinese market rose by three times faster in the same periods than in the rest of the world indicates its dominant role in current industry developments. Almost 50 percent of new equipment shipments went to manufacturers in the People's Republic during the first six months of 2012. Europe brings up the rear in this regional comparison: its deliveries number dropped in the second quarter of 2012 for the third quarter in a row.
The SIPLACE team is especially excited about the North and South American markets right now. It not only posted a total increase in deliveries of 28 percent in the second quarter of 2012, but the SIPLACE team also managed to significantly increase its market share. In terms of new order bookings, SIPLACE's market share rose strongly by one digit numbers according to internal and external data. The SIPLACE team considers this a clear indicator of the good work being done in North and South America and of the strength of its new SIPLACE SX platform.
The glass is half full
"To use the famous comparison, we believe that the glass is half full as far as the global SMT equipment market is concerned. Although some risks remain, the trend is clearly pointing upward compared with the second half in 2011, especially in China. This confirms our medium-term forecast from last fall. We also see signs that Southeast Asia as well as North and South America will follow this trend in the second half of 2012. Because of its regional problems, Europe is the only place where we remain skeptical regarding a trend reversal anytime soon," says Stephanie Pepersack, who is in charge of SIPLACE market intelligence.
“Although some risks remain, the trend is clearly pointing upward
compared with the second half in 2011, especially in China,” confirms
Stephanie Pepersack, who is in charge of SIPLACE market intelligence.
For more Information, visit www.siplace.com.
ASM Assembly Systems At the beginning of 2011, the SIPLACE team (formerly Siemens Electronics Assembly Systems) became a business unit of ASM Pacific Technology and operates now as ASM Assembly Systems. With its SIPLACE machines and innovative manufacturing concepts, ASM Assembly Systems GmbH & Co. KG is the world’s leading manufacturer of surface mount technology (SMT) placement machines and solutions. Since its beginnings in 1985, the company has installed almost 35,000 placement machines at over 3,500 customers all over the world. Electronics manufacturers in all industries such as telecommunications, automotive, IT, consumer electronics and automation use and depend on SIPLACE's broad portfolio of solutions and services.
For more information about ASM Assembly Systems (SIPLACE), visit www.siplace.com.
ASM Pacific Technology
As a subsidiary of ASM International, which has its headquarters in Almere, Netherlands, ASM Pacific Technology (ASMPT), Singapore, has developed in only a few years into the world’s leading supplier of chip assembly, bonding and packaging systems and solutions. The ASMPT Group produces and markets machines for front-end and back-end chip assembly and semiconductor packaging. The company has plants in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Malaysia, and since January 1, 2011 in Germany. ASMPT has been listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 1989.
ASMPT is one of the stocks in the Hang Seng HK MidCap Index under the Hang Seng Composite Index, the Hang Seng Information Technology Industry Index, and the Hang Seng Hong Kong 35 Index.
For more information about ASMPT, visit www.asmpacific.com
Send reader inquiries to:
ASM Assembly Systems GmbH & Co. KG
Susanne Oswald
E-mail: susanne.oswald@asmpt.com
