TSMC to build plant in Japan, but chip production is unlikely until 2024
TSMC plans to build a factory in Japan to help meet the growing demand for chips.
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What you need to know
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) announced plans to build a plant to manufacturer chips in Japan during an earnings call covering Q3 2021 (viaReuters). The plant will focus on making chips with older technologies, as opposed to creating high-end processors used in flagship smartphones and other electronic devices. The resulting chips will help meet demand in theautomotive industry and other sectors.
While TSMC’s new plant aims to address the ongoing global chip shortage, chip production isn’t expected until late 2024. TSMC is finalizing plans for the plant and still requires approval from its board.
“TSMC is working closely with our customers to plan our capacity and investing in leading edge and speciality technologies to support their demand,” said TSMC CEO C. C. Wei in the earnings call.
Wei did not share details about the upcoming factory, such as its planned capacity.
The CEO predicted chip capacity to remain “tight” through 2022. He added that TSMC’s chip pricing will “remain strategic, not opportunistic to reflex [the company’s] value creation.”
TSMC’s net profit in July-September 2021 was T$156.3 billion ($5.56 billion). That greatly exceeded the expectations of analysts, which were T$149 billion ($5.3 billion).
TSMC raised its revenue growth forecast for 2021 to close to 24% compared to its earlier forecast of 20%. The company pointed to an “industry megatrend” as the reason for the increased expectations.
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Earlier this week, it was revealed theTSMC has been hesitantto respond to a request from the U.S. government regarding the company’s supply chain.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
