Gudeng Precision Industrial Co (家登精密), which supplies wafer pods to the world's major semiconductor firms, yesterday announced plans to form a new venture to accelerate supply chain deployment in the US in the wake of new US trade and tariff policies.
Gudeng would be joined by several companies in the local semiconductor supply chain, as they seek to cope with dramatic changes in the geopolitical situation and US President Donald Trump’s trade policies, Gudeng said.
It comes as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) last week announced an additional US$100 billion investment in the US, which includes three chip manufacturing fabs, two advanced chip packaging plants and a research-and-development center.
Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei Times
Two years ago, Gudeng initiated the idea of forming an alliance with eight local semiconductor companies, creating a new company, TSS Holdings Ltd (德鑫半導體控股), focusing on its operations in the US.
Member companies distribute and supply products to customers in the US, as well as provide real-time services through a more cost-effective approach, Gudeng said.
The new venture, which would be similar to that of TSS, is to be established later this year.
About 10 companies are participating, including specialty plastic compounds producer Nytex Composites Co (耐特科技) and AblePrint Technology Co (印能科技), which specializes in key equipment used in advanced chip packaging technology, such as chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS).
Members of both alliances are direct or indirect suppliers to TSMC, providing wafer pods, semiconductor materials, advanced chip packaging-related equipment and industrial intelligence applications.
Gudeng, a key supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and high-numerical aperture EUV pods to TSMC, is considering building its first production base in the US to address growing demand from key customers.
It also supplies advanced front-opening unified pods and wafer cassettes to TSMC and Intel Corp, as well as Chinese and South Korean chipmakers. Gudeng has a warehouse in Arizona.
The company said its new pods, used in the production procedure of CoWoS, are currently undergoing qualification by customers.
The new products are expected to fuel the company’s growth momentum, as one of its major customers is boosting CoWoS capacity in the second half of this year and another key customer is restarting its CoWoS projects following a two-year suspension, Gudeng said.
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