Where Industry and Security Intersect
What's New | Sitemap | Search
National Security Assessment of the U.S. Semiconductor Wafer Processing Equipment Industry
This report assessed the U.S. wafer processing equipment industry, analyzing the industry's capacity, performance, and competitiveness. The U.S. wafer processing equipment industry is vital to the success of domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and therefore is critical to the economic well-being and defense security of the nation. The report presents survey data which shows a slump in shipments of wafer processing equipment during the mid-1980s, accompanied by slumps in employment and firm profitability figures. The report found that U.S. manufacturers suffered a drastic loss in market share during the 1980s. Among the factors that influence the competitiveness of the U.S. wafer processing equipment industry are the health of the semiconductor industry, industry structure, the level of government support, and unfair trade practices in both the wafer processing equipment and semiconductor industries. The report concluded with recommendations for action that could be taken by industry and/or government to improve the domestic industry's competitive position.