Image: TSMC
Most recently, TSMC made efforts to position itself globally, but more new buildings are to follow in the home country as well. The region Kaohsiung in the southwest of the island of Taiwan could be the next location for a large complex, which is primarily intended to offer more capacity for the mainstream.
the Commercial Times from Taiwan summarizes local media reports that the local administration has already had talks with TSMC. Accordingly, the complex could be built on the site of a former oil refinery, which was closed five years ago. At the time, however, it was said that the removal of contaminated sites on site could take up to 20 years. This could prove to be a problem, which is why the Taichung region is still hoping for the next location. TSMC already has factories in operation there.
Local media are talking about a new building of six factories, but this should mean TSMC’s definition of the expansion stages. TSMC divides each of its factories into different phases, initially building two to three at a time and then expanding them piece by piece with additional buildings, each of which represents an expansion phase the size of a small factory, as is currently the case in Hsinchu, where the new Fab20 for N2 production with several construction phases is being built. At the same time, Fab12 is gradually being expanded to include new buildings.
TSMC in Hsinchu with Fab12 and future Fab20 (Image: TSMC)
However, the new location in the south of Taiwan is not intended to be dedicated to the absolute high-end segment, but to provide a larger number of N7 chips, as TSMC calls its 7 nm-based production process in marketing. This process, which is also compatible with N6, is predicted to have a long life, because many market areas are still a long way from being in the N7 area. The so-called mature processes have recently been in massive demand from various industries.
TSMC is therefore significantly expanding its 28 nm production lines in China, among other things. Even the production line in the USA, which is currently under construction, will not address the absolute high-end segment, which will be available in two to three years in the form of N3 and N2, but also at least one class below for more N5 Chips.
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