LYON, FRANCE – The MEMS market saw 17% growth in 2011, reaching $10.2 billion, according to Yole Développement.

STMicroelectronics capitalized on the exploding demand for motion processing in mobile phones for a 42% jump in MEMS sales, to push past $900 million in revenues, edging up with traditional sector leader Texas Instruments, Yole says.

Texas Instruments’ more mature micromirror MEMS business saw more modest, single-digit growth, but also passed the $900 million mark. Bosch is a strong 4th place MEMS company, with growth in 2011 in both automotive and consumer electronics. Bosch and STMicroelectronics are now the main manufacturers of accelerometers in the consumer electronic fields, the firm says.

Smartphone demand drove 40% or better growth across a whole range of sensor suppliers. Knowles Electronics moved up to 4th on 40% growth in MEMS microphones to $362 million. Magnetometer supplier AKM jumped 46% to $279 million and 8th place. Though most magnetometers are not a purely MEMS technology, they are now so closely integrated with accelerometers that Yole now tracks them with the MEMS industry.

Fabless InvenSense jumped 67% to $144 million, thanks to its gyroscope and motion sensing offerings made at TSMC, and pulled off the MEMS industry’s first major IPO. MEMSIC reported better than 80% growth on the strength of its magnetometer and accelerometer sales, to enter the Top 30 ranks at $55 million, says Yole.

The four leading IDMs – TI, ST, Hewlett Packard and Robert Bosch – together sell some $3.3 billion worth of MEMS devices, accounting for around a third of all MEMS sales worldwide. These Top 30 companies account for almost 80% of total MEMS packaged device sales worldwide, the firm adds.