IC Insights has published a ranking of the industry's largest IC manufacturers in terms of installed 300mm wafer start capacity in 2014. Included in the list are four companies from North America, four from Taiwan, two companies from South Korea, and one from Japan (two companies tied for the number 10 position).

Collectively, the top-11 suppliers held 93.2% of worldwide 300mm wafer start capacity in 2014 with the top-eight companies having 300mm wafer start capacity of more than 100,000 wafers per month. For comparison, the top 300mm capacity leaders held 85% share of 300mm capacity in 2010, according to IC Insights.

The top-five suppliers saw the biggest gain in 300mm capacity share. At the end of 2014, the top-five 300mm wafer capacity holders represented 73% of worldwide capacity, 15pp more than the 58% they held in 2010, IC Insights said.

As of December 2014, Samsung had the most 300mm wafer capacity at nearly one million wafers per month, which represented 23.5% of the world's total 300mm wafer capacity. Samsung uses most of its 300mm capacity to fabricate DRAM and flash memory devices although a significant share is dedicated to manufacturing cellphone and tablet computer processors for itself and others.

Three other memory suppliers were next in line in the ranking. Micron Technology quickly moved into the number two position after acquiring Elpida Memory and its 300mm wafer fab facilities. Micron's 300mm wafer capacity includes its share of capacity from joint ventures with Intel (IMFT) and Nanya (Inotera). Toshiba/SanDisk and SK Hynix were ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the list with both having opened and/or expanded 300mm wafer fabs within the past few years.

Collectively, Samsung, Micron, Toshiba/SanDisk and SK Hynix accounted for 62% of global 300mm wafer fab capacity at the end of 2014, IC Insights noted.

Three foundries – TSMC, UMC, and Globalfoundries – appeared in the ranking. TSMC, the largest pure-play foundry in the world, had installed 300mm capacity of 430,000 wafers per month at the end of 2014, which represented 10.3% of total worldwide 300mm capacity. For TSMC, 300mm capacity accounts for 44% of its total wafer fab capacity, with 200mm wafers accounting for 47% and 150mm wafers, 9%.

Globalfoundries' capacity is split 51% for 300mm wafers and 49% for 200mm wafers. For UMC, 300mm wafers represent 26% of its total capacity with 200mm wafers accounting for 65%, and 150mm wafers accounting for 9%. Foundry suppliers shown on this list held 18% of worldwide 300mm wafer fab capacity at the end of 2014, IC Insights said.