Most of the global production of silicon-based semiconductors is sold to the manufacturers of computers, mobile equipment, consumer electronics and white goods. Low-voltage components are used in these products, and the market is cyclical and closely related to trends in consumer spending.
Topsil addresses a different and significantly smaller part of the silicon market. Our products and services target the four semiconductor markets Power Electronic, Micro Electronic Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Optoelectronics & Detectors and RF Electronics. These markets represent around ten percent of the total market, amounting to USD 1.3bn (2010).
These markets are relatively stable and have shown annual compounded growth rates of more than 8% in recent years, due to investments in grids, infrastructure and industrial processes.
Components in these categories usually handle high and medium voltages, which places heavy demands on the purity and electric uniformity of the silicon. For this reason, the components are usually based on float zone or czochralski wafers, both manufactured by Topsil.
Of the four semiconductor markets addressed by Topsil, the Power Electronics market is by far the largest, representing around eighty percent of the value. Topsil was the fourth largest producer in terms of float zone and czochralski in 2010, and the third largest in terms of float zone alone.
Topsil’s global market share of the Power market amounted to 7 percent in 2010.
