In its latest 300mm Fab Outlook, SEMI reports that global 300mm fab equipment spending is forecast to increase by 18% to reach $133 billion in 2026 and by 14% to $151 billion in 2027, following a surge in AI chip demand for data centers and edge devices, as well as the growing commitment to semiconductor self-sufficiency across key regions through localized industrial ecosystems and supply chain restructuring. In addition, the report projects investment will continue to rise by 3% to $155 billion in 2028 and by another 11% to $172 billion in 2029, respectively.
Key highlights – Segment growth
- Logic and micro segment expected to spearhead equipment expansion with $228 billion in total investments from 2027 to 2029, mainly due to strong foundry sector demand, driven by sub-2nm cutting-edge capacity investments
- More advanced node technology expected to enter volume production from 2027 to 2029
- Beyond advanced nodes, demand across all nodes and various electronics devices anticipated to grow moderately, supporting investment in mature nodes as well
- Memory segment projected to rank 2nd in equipment spending, totaling $175 billion from 2027 to 2029
- Demand for memory to significantly increase due to AI training and inference that has driven up the demand forHBM while model inference has created substantial demand for storage capacity, thus boosting the growth of NAND Flash applications in data centers
Key highlights – Regional Investment Trends
- Global 300mm fab equipment investment expected to remain broadly distributed across the major semiconductor manufacturing regions from 2027 to 2029
- China, Taiwan, Korea, and the Americas each expected to see substantial levels of spending while Japan, EMEA, and SE Asia continue to expand investment from a smaller base
- Chinese investment expected to remain supported by ongoing domestic capacity expansion and national initiatives aimed at strengthening semiconductor manufacturing capabilities
- In Taiwan, spending projected to be driven primarily by continued expansion of leading-edge foundry capacity
- Korea’s investment outlook closely tied to the memory sector where AI-related demand is supporting another cycle of capacity and technology upgrades
- In the Americas, spending is expected to be underpinned by advanced process expansion and broader efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing ecosystems
- Japan, EMEA, and SE Asia also expected to post meaningful growth through 2029
Part of the SEMI Fab Forecast database, the SEMI 300mm Fab Outlook lists 404 facilities and lines globally. The report reflects 198 updates and 9 new fabs/lines projects since its last publication in December 2025.
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