Semiconductor equipment orders rising

Semiconductor equipment orders keep rising, according to Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI).

January saw the book-to-bill ratio climb to 0.81 from 0.77 in December 2001. A book-to-bill ratio of 0.81 means US-based manufacturers of chip equipment saw US$81 worth of new orders for every $100 of product billed for the month.

Worldwide bookings averaged $1273 million in January, 1.3% above the revised December level of $1256 million. January's bookings were 66% below the $3.8 billion in orders posted in the same month in 2001.

"Front-end equipment bookings are at a low point for this downturn," said Stanley Myers, president and CEO of SEMI, in a statement. "The improvement in overall equipment bookings, was driven by a fifty percent increase in the final manufacturing bookings. January marks the second consecutive month in which bookings for the final manufacturing equipment segment increased significantly from its previously weakened state."