U.S. Construction Pipeline Expands Amid Strong Global 300mm Investment
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SEMICON West -- Global 300mm front-end fab equipment spending is projected to reach $149 billion in 2026, up 31% year-over-year, SEMI reported today in its latest 300mm Fab Outlook. Investment is expected to continue growing at double-digit rates through 2029, reaching $227 billion.
The stronger investment trajectory is accompanied by a sustained pipeline of new 300mm fabs and production lines moving through construction and into operation. Excluding pure R&D fabs, SEMI projects 20 new 300mm fabs or lines to begin construction worldwide in 2026 and 18 in 2027. In the United States, three are projected to begin construction in 2026 and four in 2027.
"Semiconductor demand is increasingly translating into physical manufacturing expansion across the global industry," said Ajit Manocha, SEMI President and CEO. "The latest outlook points to both stronger equipment investment and a substantial pipeline of fabs moving toward operation. This expansion will provide the manufacturing foundation needed to support AI, high-performance computing and a broad range of next-generation semiconductor applications."
Global Fab Construction Pipeline
Across all 300mm facilities, global fab construction spending is projected to rise 23% to $47.5 billion in 2026 and another 33% to $63.3 billion in 2027, before reaching $68.4 billion in 2028. The construction activity reflects continued investment in new manufacturing capacity across leading-edge logic, memory and other 300mm semiconductor technologies.
The U.S. represents an important part of this expansion, with additional 300mm fabs and lines expected to begin construction throughout the forecast period. Equipment investment in the Americas is projected to more than double from $18.1 billion in 2026 to $40.6 billion in 2029, reflecting the region's expanding manufacturing footprint.
SEMI projects 13 new 300mm fabs or lines worldwide to begin operations or ship first silicon in 2026, increasing to 23 in 2027.
The 3Q26 edition of the SEMI 300mm Fab Outlook reflects 166 changes across 163 fabs and lines, including 14 newly added records, since the previous report.
For more information on the report or to subscribe, please contact the SEMI Market Intelligence Team at mktstats@semi.org. Details on SEMI market data are available at SEMI Market Intelligence.
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About SEMI
SEMI® is the global industry association connecting over 4,000 companies and 1.5 million professionals worldwide across the semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain. We accelerate member collaboration on solutions to top industry challenges through Advocacy, Workforce Development, Sustainability, Supply Chain Management and other programs. Our SEMICON® expositions and events, technology communities, standards and market intelligence help advance our members' business growth and innovations in design, devices, equipment, materials, services and software, enabling smarter, faster, more secure electronics. Visit www.semi.org or contact a regional office to learn more.
Association Contacts
Samer Bahou/SEMI
Phone: 1-408-943-7870
Email sbahou@semi.org
Lisa Gillette-Martin/Bodewell Group (Media Inquiries)
Phone: 1-408-205-4732
Email: lgmartin@bodewellgroup.com
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Global 300mm Fab Equipment Spending to Reach $227 Billion in 2029 as Buildout Accelerates, SEMI Projects
SmartSens presents automotive-grade image sensors and integrated imaging-and-computing solutions for a range of vehicle applications
BARCELONA, Spain, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At AutoSens Europe 2026, held from September 22 to 24 at La Farga de L'Hospitalet in Barcelona, SmartSens, a technologically advanced supplier of CMOS image sensors and the No.3 player in global CIS market shipments in 2025, showcased its automotive-grade (AT) image sensor portfolio, alongside solutions that support forward-facing cameras, 360-degree surround-view systems, driver monitoring systems (DMS) and occupant monitoring systems (OMS). Through architectural innovation that deeply integrates imaging and computing, the company is helping to advance global intelligent driving technologies.
At the exhibition, SmartSens' Automotive Business Group held in-depth product and business exchanges with multiple global partners. Meanwhile, Toby Zou, co-general manager of SmartSens' Automotive Business Group, delivered a keynote address at a technical forum held alongside the exhibition.
SmartSens also debuted integrated forward-facing camera module solutions powered by the M2 SoC from its subsidiary Flyingchip in a live demonstration that drew significant attention from attendees. The module solutions use the 8.3MP automotive-grade sensor SC860AT for forward-view imaging and the SC233AT for DMS, enabling vehicles to closely monitor their surroundings and maintain acute awareness in demanding lighting conditions. The sensor suites also deliver consistent image quality and reliable inference across side-view, rear-view and in-cabin OMS cameras, as well as camera-based rearview mirror systems.
The OMS solution pairs the SC533AT, a 5MP automotive-grade image sensor, with Flyingchip's M1 SoC. SC533AT delivers exceptional results with high sensitivity, low noise and high shutter efficiency, offering the image clarity and accuracy required for reliable operation. The image sensor application supports passenger and child presence detection, the detection of pets and objects left in the vehicle, as well as in-cabin photography and video conferencing.
For surround-view applications, SmartSens presented a 360-degree solution based on the 3MP SC360AT. Under extreme lighting conditions such as backlighting and glare from oncoming headlights at night, it suppresses overexposure and retains complete shadow details, improving safety and convenience in parking and narrow-road passing scenarios.
On the second day of the show, at the technical forum held alongside the exhibition, Toby Zou was invited to deliver a keynote address, "Empowering Intelligent Driving: Advancing High Dynamic Range and High Resolution in Automotive CIS."
Zou noted that the continued growth of new energy vehicles worldwide and the automotive industry's progression toward Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving are making the imaging performance of automotive CMOS image sensors in complex scenarios central to system perception. His keynote covered pixel architecture, HDR, global-shutter technology and system-level integration, and examined how closer integration of imaging and computing can advance automotive vision across a broad range of use cases. He also presented SmartSens' CIS portfolio as an integrated platform for next-generation vehicle perception application.
SmartSens combines its flexible sensor integration, advanced image processing and innovative automotive sensing technologies. The unified offerings give automakers and Tier 1 suppliers access to flexible, reliable imaging solutions designed for production-scale deployment in advanced driving systems.
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SmartSens Showcases Automotive Vision Sensing Portfolio at AutoSens Europe 2026
