We started packaging because of the need  to test the chips and to connect with other components on the system board to form electronic systems. So transistor scaling, following Moore's Law, was the basis of packaging and  all electronics, making  electronics the single largest, $1.5T, global industry serving a variety of individual industries that span computing, communications, consumer, automotive and others.

The basis for this industry is a result of singular focus in transistor scaling, leading to a 5B transistor chip, involving dozens of semiconductor companies around the globe.These chips were packaged mostly as single chips, in which case the value of packaging has been minimal.

To read more of this viewpoint follow this link: http://www.semiconductorpackagingnews.com/articles/article_44712.shtml