SAN FRANCISCO -- The semiconductor industry recovery will continue next year with revenues and unit shipments expected to grow at robust rates, says a new report from the SEMI trade group. 

Front-end fab equipment spending is expected to rise 21% this year to $34.9 billion, and 20% next year to $42 billion, SEMI said.

The record for front-end spending is $40 billion, set in 2011.

While almost all the spending is going toward development of 300mm fabs, yet spending on 200mm fabs is expected to rise 10% this year and 12% in 2015.  

Taiwan leads all regions in investment, at $9.7 billion, followed by the Americas ($7.8 billion), Korea ($6.8 billion), China ($4.6 billion) and Japan ($1.9 billion). SEMI forecasts Taiwan's spend will grow more than 20% to $12 billion in 2015, with major gains also seen in Korea ($8 billion), China ($5 billion) and Japan ($4.2 billion). The Americas will be roughly flat at $7.9 billion. Spending in Europe is expected to nearly double to $3.8 billion.

Most of the spend will be on equipment upgrades, not new capacity. SEMI expects a growth rate of less than 3% for new capacity, similar to 2011 and 2012. DRAM capacity, in particular, has been flaccid, and while higher investment is expected for that segment in 2014 and 2015, the rates are still negative until the end of 2015.  

SANTA CLARA, CA -- The annual PCB West trade show opened today at the Santa Clara Convention Center, with expectations high for another year of greater attendance.

MESA, AZ -- Jack McCullen, one of the primary drivers behind industry standards for electronics component handling, passed away last night.

EVANSVILLE, IN -- Haier America announced plans today to open a product research and development center here, creating 50 new high-wage jobs by 2015.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Worldwide phablet shipments will reach 175 million units worldwide in 2014, passing the 170 million portable PCs expected to ship during the same period, according to a new forecast from IDC. 

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL — BEST Inc. is taking a novel approach to the paucity of good electronics manufacturing operators:

TOKYO --  Hitachi High-Technologies will sell the sales operations of its electronic component placement business to Yamaha Motor Co. and close its equipment development subsidiary, the company's board has decided. The firm cited lagging sales for its decision to exit the business.

ROLLING MEADOWS, ILL – BEST is offering one-hour webinars to discuss changes in the recently released revisions to the industry's two primary soldering and assembly acceptance standards.

SHANXI, CHINA – Foxconn will invest $814 million into its northern China factories to aid in the production of electric vehicles, according to reports.

WASHINGTON – Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $28.1 billion in July, the industry’s highest-ever monthly sales total, said the Semiconductor Industry Association. Global sales for the month were up 2.4% sequentially and up 9.9% year-over-year, the trade group added.

WESTLAKE, OH — Nordson has acquired Dima Group, manufacturer of conformal coating, dispensing and surface mount technology equipment for the global electronics assembly market.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC has released the F revisions of IPC J-STD-001, Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies, and IPC-A-610, Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies.