[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Amid the global semiconductor shortage, the United States has begun actively building alliances in the semiconductor sector to counter China. As a result, demand for used semiconductor manufacturing equipment has increased, leading to a rise in prices.
On the 28th, Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, citing Japanese used equipment dealers, that the average price of used semiconductor equipment has risen by 20% over the past year. A leasing manager at a major Japanese company dealing in used semiconductor manufacturing equipment stated, "Used prices have been rising every year." It is reported that the prices of key used equipment, such as lithography machines, have more than tripled. Another leasing company official in Japan said, "Compared to just after the 2008 global financial crisis, the market price is more than ten times higher."
Nihon Keizai interpreted this trend as a result of increased purchases by China amid the US-China trade conflict surrounding semiconductors. Chinese semiconductor companies, pursuing semiconductor localization, have found it difficult to acquire new equipment due to US restrictions, leading them to purchase large quantities of used equipment, causing this phenomenon.
Additionally, Nihon Keizai noted that the surge in semiconductor demand due to COVID-19 has also activated transactions of semiconductor manufacturing equipment that is not cutting-edge. With a significant increase in demand for TVs, laptops, and PCs, semiconductors such as driver ICs that operate displays and power ICs used in Internet of Things (IoT) devices are needed. Equipment for 200mm wafers required for these semiconductors is often traded as used equipment.
Nihon Keizai reported, "Recently, many semiconductor production lines use 300mm wafers, and manufacturers of 200mm equipment are decreasing," quoting an industry insider who said that some used equipment is priced higher than new equipment. It is also expected that demand for used equipment will expand for automotive semiconductors, such as power semiconductors that control voltage, which often use 200mm wafer equipment.
Nihon Keizai stated, "Seeing the expansion of demand for used equipment as a business opportunity, Canon has decided to release 200mm wafer lithography equipment for the first time in nine years," and forecasted, "Besides lithography equipment, there are many other semiconductor manufacturing devices such as surface processing and cleaning equipment, so reliance on used 200mm wafer equipment is expected to continue."
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