TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is building multiple chip fabs at home and abroad to maintain its semiconductor production dominance, according to a WirtSchafts Woche report.
TSMC is currently building fabs at three locations in Hsinchu, Taichung, and Kaohsiung to produce the next generation of 2 nm chips, the report said. The company is also setting up two advanced packaging plants, with one of them located in Tainan.
Outside of Taiwan, the semiconductor giant has built a factory in Kumamoto, Japan, which opened in February. Its success prompted TSMC to start building a second plant and negotiate a third one, according to Frank Bosenberg, managing director of the Silicon Saxony interest group.
However, things have not been as smooth in the company’s US endeavors. American employees at its Arizona fab are clashing with the Taiwanese work culture, particularly the rigid hierarchy and long hours. There is also a lack of qualified local staff, causing TSMC to send over its domestic employees to address the issue.
Bosenberg hoped TSMC would have more success in Dresden, Germany. Construction of the planned chip fab in the eastern German city began in August and is expected to generate around 2,000 direct high-tech jobs, according to a TSMC press release. It will produce 12-28 nanometer chips beginning in 2027.
Taiwan’s determination to preserve its chip prowess stems from its goal of deterring a Chinese invasion, the report said. As long as the global economy is dependent on Taiwan-produced semiconductors, China would risk a massive global economic crisis, WirtSchafts Woche cited industry observers as saying.