Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday remained tight-lipped over a media report that the contract chipmaker plans to build an additional four advanced integrated circuit (IC) assembly plants in Taiwan.
The world’s largest contract chipmaker declined to comment, saying that any information on new facility construction would primarily come from public announcements.
A report published by the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the sister paper of the Taipei Times) yesterday indicated that while TSMC is expanding its high-end chip production capacity, the chipmaker is also investing in the construction of advanced IC assembly plants.
Photo: Ann Wang, REUTERS
Citing unnamed sources from TSMC’s supply chain, the report said the chipmaker would build two IC assembly plants in the Chiayi Science Park (嘉義科學園區) and another two in the Southern Taiwan Science Park (南部科學園區) this year.
The report said that Cliff Hou (侯永清), TSMC’s senior vice president, deputy cochief operating officer and chief information security officer, is to announce the new investment next week.
TSMC is investing in high-end chip production technologies in Hsinchu, Kaohsiung and the Southern Taiwan Science Park, while using Chiayi as a base for sophisticated IC assembly services.
In the fourth quarter of last year, TSMC started mass production of the 2-nanometer process in Hsinchu and Kaohsiung.
At an investor conference held on Thursday, TSMC chairman and CEO C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said the firm plans to build several new 2-nanometer process fabs in Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, and would continue to invest more in advanced chip technologies and IC packaging services over the next few years.
TSMC has planned for capital expenditure of US$52 billion to US$56 billion this year, up 27 to 37 percent from last year.
According to TSMC, 60 to 80 percent of this year’s capex would go toward advanced process development, 10 percent to specialty processes, and 10 to 20 percent to high-end IC assembly, testing, photomasking and other items.
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