Semiconductor fab GlobalWafers announced on the 10th that revenue for the month of December 2021 totaled NT$5.3 billion, a dip of 3.5% from November but a 7.5% gain YoY. GlobalWafers indicated cumulative fourth-quarter consolidated revenue was NT$15.75 billion, growing 2.5% QoQ and 11.4% YoY, due to bullishness in the semiconductor industry. Consolidated revenue in 2021 reached NT$61.13 billion, exceeding 60 billion for the first time, an increase of more than 10% YoY, a record high for both annual revenue and single-quarter revenue, and accounting for nearly 90% of parent company Sino-American Silicon Products annual revenue.
GlobalWafers parent company, Sino-American Silicon, also announced revenue for December 2021 totaling NT$5.98 billion, a dip 3.7% from November but a 9% gain YoY. Cumulative fourth-quarter consolidated revenue was NT$18.08, a gain of 3.2% QoQ and more than 15% YoY. Single-quarter revenue reached a record high. Consolidated revenue in 2021 was NT$68.84 billion, a gain of 12.1% YoY and second highest annual revenue recorded in company history. Solar revenue in December was NT$650 million, a decrease of 6.4% MoM and an increase of 16.1% YoY. Total annual solar business revenue was NT$7.63 billion, growing 26.1% YoY.
Looking to the future, GlobalWafer indicated that the strong growth of consumer products and the work from home model brought about by the pandemic have accelerated the demand for semiconductors. Coupled with the promotion of technological trends such as AI, 5G, and electric vehicles, the outlook on semiconductor development is optimistic and hopeful. However, cost pressure is even greater now than in 2021 due to the proliferation of the new Omicron strain of COVID- 19 coupled with pandemic induced logistics woes which has led to rising freight costs, material costs, and inflation. GlobalWafer actively employs the advantages conferred by the group's economies of scale as bargaining leverage, while, at the same time, flexibly adjusting global production hubs and transportation channels, evaluating the most suitable solutions to minimize potential impacts.
In terms of Sino-American Silicon, following the results of a referendum, it has been established that Taiwan will move towards energy conservation and carbon reduction in the future. The government also announced that it will achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and Taiwan's renewable energy installations are expected to continue to grow. Extreme climate changes have force countries around the world to acknowledge the importance of green power. With the rise of energy transition policies, clean energy has become the focus. Among them, solar energy with mature technology and affordable prices is a development priority and its growth trend is becoming more and more clear. However, due to the lack of materials and labor caused by the pandemic, Sino-American Silicon will continue to strictly control costs, actively negotiate prices, and monitor material price fluctuations to cope with various challenges.
(Image: GlobalWafers)