2011 global semiconductor capital equipment spending to grow 10.2%

However, the analyst warns that a looming inventory correction, combined with oversupply in foundry, will lead to a slight spending decline in 2012. "Capital spending and the equipment picture have changed little since our last forecast in the first quarter of 2011, in spite of the disastrous earthquake in Japan, which threatened to disrupt the electronics supply chain," said Klaus Rinnen, managing vice president at Gartner. "Thanks to herculean efforts by Japanese vendors, the effects of the quake were minimised." Gartner forecasts that all segments of the semiconductor capital equipment market will experience growth in 2011, with spending being driven by aggressive foundry spending, integrated device manufacturer logic capacity ramping up at the leading edge and memory companies gearing up for double patterning. The analyst reports that semiconductor capital equipment spending in 2012 will see a 2.6% decline, followed by 8.9% growth in 2013. It believes that the next cyclical decline should begin in late 2013, as the impact of memory oversupply takes its toll.