Semiconductor materials spending hits a record as HBM manufacturing ramps

The materials market grew 6.8% year over year in 2025, according to the SEMI figures carried by TechPowerUp. Wafer fab materials reached $45.8 billion, while packaging materials also benefited from more complex semiconductor manufacturing. For RamTrend, the important signal is that high-performance computing and HBM manufacturing are increasing materials intensity. As memory moves into more advanced stacks and packages, suppliers need more specialized lithography materials, chemicals, substrates, and packaging inputs. This does not directly predict spot RAM or NAND prices. It does show that the upstream cost base for advanced memory remains under pressure as AI-driven production grows.