TSMC mulled moving chip fabs from Taiwan over China threat

TSMC considered relocating its chip fabs away from Taiwan because of the threat from China, and even discussed the matter with customers, but decided against the move because of the difficulties it posed. The world's largest chip contract manufacturer revealed at its Annual Shareholder Meeting in Hsinchu, a city in northern …

[Zibob]

...Yet

"CEO says it even spoke to customers about the switch but decided it was not feasible" ...Yet.

In think this was not a complete sentence.

In wonder if she Arizona and others are up an running if slowly the centre of their operations will be increasingly outside of Taiwan.

[MMM4]

Re: ...Yet

To understand one big reason why it's "unfeasible", check what TSMC thinks about Arizona workers.

Neither Rome nor TSMC was built in a day.

[Dostoevsky]

Intel is a solution

They are basically the only other game in town, and their chips are made in the USA. Now that they've opened those fabs to anyone, we should be buying *primarily* from them—not TSMC.

I know, it's not practical to change the industry overnight, but it would be nice.

[Will Godfrey]

Re: Intel is a solution

I'd go further. For increased safety and as far as possible, the fabs should be spread across the world - for disaster recovery, if no other reason.

[Justthefacts]

Re: Intel is a solution

Why not the more obvious Samsung? Their 4nm is solid and performant. 3nm still having some yield issues, but exists. That’s ahead of Intel, in real terms, after “random node-numbering” is corrected for.

[DS999]

Re: Intel is a solution

Samsung's stuff is a joke. They haven't had decent yields on any of their EUV processes, and have been well behind TSMC in both power and performance. Unless they turn things around soon, or Intel falls flat on their face, in five years Intel will be the solid #2 and Samsung will probably withdraw from leading edge foundry business like GloFo did and concentrate on making the kinds of chips they are good at - DRAM and NAND.

[rcxb]

Re: Intel is a solution

Intel has had fabs around the world since 1985... Most recently, 14nm/10nm in Israel, 7nm in Ireland, etc.

It's mostly because of recent US government subsidies that Intel is doing its most advanced process in the US, and TSMC is building a fab in the US as well, for the same reason.

[EricB123]

All is not Lost

Well, America could still make the 555 timer chip!

[Will Godfrey]

Re: All is not Lost

With a bit of ingenuity it's amazing what you can do with the humble 4011B.