Germany is to establish its first-ever national pavilion at Semicon Taiwan, which starts tomorrow in Taipei, as the country looks to raise its profile and deepen semiconductor ties with Taiwan as global chip demand accelerates.
Martin Mayer, a semiconductor investment expert at Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), Germany’s international economic promotion agency, said before leaving for Taiwan that the nation is a crucial partner in developing Germany’s semiconductor ecosystem.
Germany’s debut at the international semiconductor exhibition in Taipei aims to “show presence” and signal its commitment to semiconductors, while building trust with Taiwanese companies, government and industry associations, he said.
Photo: I-Hwa Cheng, Bloomberg
“The best outcome would be for Taiwanese firms to invest in Germany,” he added.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) planned 10 billion euros (US$11.74 billion) fab in Dresden, Germany, has already galvanized the industry, heightened public awareness of the importance of chips and is expected to create 2,000 direct jobs and up to 10,000 jobs overall, Mayer said.
The investment brings opportunities across chemical, gas supply, plant maintenance and other industries, he added.
Asked about Germany’s competitiveness compared with countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic, which also seek Taiwanese investment, Mayer said that Germany has higher labor and energy costs, but its productivity, research-and-development strength and complete semiconductor ecosystem in Saxony outweigh those disadvantages.
“TSMC’s choice of Germany is the best example,” he said.
Germany is also addressing labor shortages by improving training and attracting global talent. Saxony recently allocated 140 million euros to establish the first English-language dual-track public vocational school in Germany, while the Dresden University of Technology launched a new chip design program.
Other universities in Munich, Magdeburg and beyond are rolling out similar courses to support the cultivation of engineers, Mayer said.
Demand for automotive semiconductors remains strong, as modern cars require many times more chips than those from 20 years ago, he said, adding that demand is also growing in artificial intelligence, 5G, power semiconductors, photonics, aerospace, defense and drone technologies.
On supply chain risks, Mayer said that the challenges are global, not unique to Taiwan.
“The more difficult the times, the stronger the partnerships must be,” he said.
Semiconductors as the core of Taiwan-Germany cooperation and the two economies are highly complementary, Mayer said.
Saxony Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and Climate Protection Dirk Panter is also to travel to Taiwan for the event and preside over the pavilion’s opening.
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Germany is to establish its first-ever national pavilion at Semicon Taiwan, which starts tomorrow in Taipei, as the country looks to raise its profile and deepen semiconductor ties with Taiwan as global chip demand accelerates. Martin Mayer, a semiconductor investment expert at Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), Germany’s international economic promotion agency, said before leaving for Taiwan that the nation is a crucial partner in developing Germany’s semiconductor ecosystem. Germany’s debut at the international semiconductor exhibition in Taipei aims to “show presence” and signal its commitment to semiconductors, while building trust with Taiwanese companies, government and industry associations, he said. “The best outcome
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