Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) smaller affiliate Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp (VIS, 世界先進) might accelerate the chip production schedule at its new US$7.8 billion joint venture in Singapore, on greater customer demand for hedging against geopolitical risks.
VIS might be able to push production at the new plant, which makes mature chips, to as early as late next year, versus the originally announced schedule of the first half of 2027, VIS chairman Fang Leuh (方略) told reporters at a company event on Saturday in Taoyuan.
VIS broke ground for the semiconductor facility in the fourth quarter of last year.
Photo: Grace Hung, Taipei Times
“Over the past few months, many customers have shown greater interest in our new 300mm Singapore plant due to geopolitical uncertainties,” Fang said.
VIS’s new plant is a joint venture with Dutch firm NXP Semiconductors NV. While the Taiwanese company does not make the most cutting-edge artificial intelligence chips, it is a key supplier in making chips for automotive and industrial use.
Both TSMC and VIS are adding capacity outside of their home turf, partly due to growing concerns from global chip users over China’s persistent threats to unite with self-governing, democratic Taiwan, by force if necessary.
However, overseas expansion has not always been smooth. TSMC recently said it is pushing back the construction of its second fab in Japan due to worsening traffic conditions in the area.
An NXP executive said in December last year that the two companies are working on a phase-two expansion of the facility, although the plan still needs formal approval.
VIS is currently focusing on getting the first plant ready, and it is not considering a second phase yet, Fang said.
While US President Donald Trump’s trade disputes and tariffs have created additional challenges, Fang said he still expects VIS to see business grow mildly in US dollar terms year-over-year in the second half of the year.
RUN IT BACK: A succesful first project working with hyperscalers to design chips encouraged MediaTek to start a second project, aiming to hit stride in 2028 MediaTek Inc (聯發科), the world’s biggest smartphone chip supplier, yesterday said it is engaging a second hyperscaler to help design artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators used in data centers following a similar project expected to generate revenue streams soon. The first AI accelerator project is to bring in US$1 billion revenue next year and several billion US dollars more in 2027, MediaTek chief executive officer Rick Tsai (蔡力行) told a virtual investor conference yesterday. The second AI accelerator project is expected to contribute to revenue beginning in 2028, Tsai said. MediaTek yesterday raised its revenue forecast for the global AI accelerator used
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has secured three construction permits for its plan to build a state-of-the-art A14 wafer fab in Taichung, and is likely to start construction soon, the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau said yesterday. Speaking with CNA, Wang Chun-chieh (王俊傑), deputy director general of the science park bureau, said the world’s largest contract chipmaker has received three construction permits — one to build a fab to roll out sophisticated chips, another to build a central utility plant to provide water and electricity for the facility and the other to build three office buildings. With the three permits, TSMC
The DBS Foundation yesterday announced the launch of two flagship programs, “Silver Motion” and “Happier Caregiver, Healthier Seniors,” in partnership with CCILU Ltd, Hondao Senior Citizens’ Welfare Foundation and the Garden of Hope Foundation to help Taiwan face the challenges of a rapidly aging population. The foundation said it would invest S$4.91 million (US$3.8 million) over three years to foster inclusion and resilience in an aging society. “Aging may bring challenges, but it also brings opportunities. With many Asian markets rapidly becoming super-aged, the DBS Foundation is working with a regional ecosystem of like-minded partners across the private, public and people sectors
BREAKTHROUGH TECH: Powertech expects its fan-out PLP system to become mainstream, saying it can offer three-times greater production throughput Chip packaging service provider Powertech Technology Inc (力成科技) plans to more than double its capital expenditures next year to more than NT$40 billion (US$1.31 billion) as demand for its new panel-level packaging (PLP) technology, primarily used in chips for artificial intelligence (AI) applications, has greatly exceeded what it can supply. A significant portion of the budget, about US$1 billion, would be earmarked for fan-out PLP technology, Powertech told investors yesterday. Its heavy investment in fan-out PLP technology over the past 10 years is expected to bear fruit in 2027 after the technology enters volume production, it said, adding that the tech would
RSS