TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Industrial Technology Research Institute broke ground Tuesday on a NT$3.77 billion (US$119.47 million) advanced semiconductor research facility at its headquarters in Hsinchu, set to begin operations in early 2028.

The ceremony included Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫), National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文), and executives from TSMC and other tech firms, per CNA.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said TSMC is supporting the project by donating three 12-inch high-end process development machines and advising on facility design. He said the collaboration strengthens Taiwan’s semiconductor ecosystem.

MOEA Department of Industrial Technology Director General Kuo Chao-chung (郭肇中) said the project has been in planning for two years. The building will feature 8-meter-high ceilings, 2-ton-per-square-meter load capacity, and an independent seismic-resistant structure.

Construction costs are NT$688 million, while cleanrooms account for NT$3.08 billion. The facility will host advanced process and sensor chip pilot lines, an advanced packaging line, and metrology and verification labs.

Kuo said the facility will focus on design innovation, advanced semiconductor process development, and equipment and materials verification. It will help companies cut product development time by roughly 30%, he added.