SEMI sees 300 mm fab buildout accelerating

Global 300 mm front-end fab equipment spending is projected to rise 31% year-over-year in 2026, according to SEMI’s latest 300 mm Fab Outlook. Investment is expected to keep growing at double-digit rates through 2029 as manufacturers expand capacity and move more fabs and production lines from planning into construction and operation.

Excluding pure R&D fabs, SEMI projects 20 new 300 mm fabs or lines to begin construction worldwide in 2026 and 18 in 2027. In the United States, three are projected to begin construction in 2026 and four in 2027. SEMI President and CEO Ajit Manocha said semiconductor demand is increasingly translating into physical manufacturing expansion, creating the manufacturing base needed for AI, high-performance computing and other next-generation semiconductor applications.