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In the global chip shortage environment, chip manufacturers have started plans to expand production and amplify, and TSMC, as the "top leader in chip foundry", is no exception. Even TSMC is the priority for inviting factories in many countries, including the United States.
is not just that TSMC has a global chip foundry market share of as high as 54%. More importantly, in terms of high-end manufacturing technology, TSMC is basically in absolute leadership, especially in terms of the yield rate of foundry based on EUV processes. This can be clearly felt from the performance of the demand side. For example, the orders for TSMC's 4nm/3nm process have been saturated and have been ranked in 2024.
The United States previously invited TSMC to build a factory in the United States, aiming to keep the most advanced manufacturing technologies, such as foundry of 5nm to 3nm chips.
Therefore, under the various "siege and interception" rules, TSMC barely agreed to build a factory. According to public confirmation news, the United States requires TSMC to build 6 chip manufacturers. TSMC announced an investment of US$12 billion to build a factory. The mass production time is expected to be in 2024, but the news so far is that only one 5nm production plant, .
And the point is that new variables have appeared in this 5nm chip manufacturer, which just confirms the previous statement of TSMC founder Zhang Zhongmou .
Zhang Zhongmou said that it is unrealistic for the United States to control the chip industry chain. The direct reason he gave is that on the one hand, the United States does not have a relevant supply chain, and on the other hand, the lack of corresponding talents and the labor costs are too high. Unexpectedly, the reality of building a factory in the United States is consistent with Zhang Zhongmou's statement.
According to recent public information, the original construction plan of TSMC has no choice but to postpone 3 to 6 months due to the lack of personnel and the complex construction license process of . The delay in the construction time means that the 5nm mass production time will also be delayed. Although TSMC responded immediately that the original planned production schedule remained unchanged, the real situation is relatively complicated.
Let’s think about it, why did TSMC respond so? What impact will the delay in building a factory in the United States have on TSMC?
First of all, TSMC responds that the production schedule remains unchanged, actually considering the factors of competition and talent.
On the one hand, TSMC's main customers are basically concentrated in China and the United States. In the United States, there are also chip manufacturers such as Intel that are actively expanding production and are urging toward high-process development, which means that Intel's actions have intensified direct competition with TSMC. The factory construction has been delayed, and TSMC is clear that it is unfavorable in competition, so it responds that the original planned production schedule remains unchanged and stabilizes the situation first.
On the other hand, TSMC Chang Zhongmou once made it clear that one of the most important factors in the chip industry is related talents. The United States does not have the conditions for chip industrialization in this regard. Moreover, higher labor costs in the United States will also lead to actual capital expenditures being higher than the original plan. The delay in building this time is affected by the shortage of personnel, which will make the construction cycle longer, thus making the return on investment less than TSMC's expectations.
Secondly, judging from TSMC's recent new actions, it has a bit of a "speaking the east and hitting the west".
On the one hand, the construction of the 5nm chip factory was delayed, while on the other hand, TSMC originally planned to build a 28nm/22nm factory in Japan, has changed to again. According to public information, TSMC decided to increase investment by about 55 billion yuan in chip factory jointly built by TSMC and Sony . At the same time, the foundry level has increased by 16nm and 12nm chips, and the production capacity of has also increased.
In other words, TSMC's "mind" is to open branches of around the world, not just put advanced OEM in the United States. What's more, the application of chips with advanced technology level is limited and is basically concentrated on high-end mobile phones. Chips with mid- and low-end processes are the most widely used, such as industrial fields such as automotive electronics and home appliances.
Therefore, overall, TSMC has actually realized the diversified layout after realizing the reality. What do you think?
