TSMC recently said that in order to meet the strong global semiconductor market demand for rapid growth, TSMC plans earlier than originally expected to set up a second fab in mainland China.
Liu De-yin, co-CEO of TSMC, delivered a keynote speech at the company's 17th Annual Supply Chain Management Forum. He mentioned that the company's fab in Nanjing, China, is in volume production ahead of schedule in May 2018 Shipments, more than a quarter earlier than originally planned.
Two years ago, TSMC plans to start production of 16-nanometer (nm) fabs in mainland China by the second half of 2018. TSMC Nanjing fab broke ground in July 2016 and began installing in September 2017 and introduced 16nm FinFETs Process, while also setting up a design service center in Nanjing to attract customer orders when TSMC's planned production capacity in mainland China is only 20,000 pieces of 12-inch wafers per month, about 30 billion investment.
According to IC Insights, a market research firm, competition in China's foundry business is expected to grow as global demand grows, IC Insights predicts that in 2017 China's pure foundry sales will reach 7 billion U.S. dollars, up from 2016 A 16% increase, the research firm said that foundry growth in China is more than double the global sales.
IC Insights also estimates that TSMC will account for about 46% of China's foundry market this year, with sales of about 3.2 billion U.S. dollars, up 10% from 2016.
China is working hard to expand its domestic semiconductor production and plans to invest more than 160 billion U.S. dollars over the next 10 years.The Chinese government's goal is to establish a domestic semiconductor industry to compensate Chinese machine builders for product assembly in the Apple iPhone and iPad A large number of wafer imports.
In order to compete with rivals such as TSMC, Globalfoundries and UMC, a number of foundries such as SMIC rapidly built factories in China, but while TSMC plans to start mass production of 16nm at Nanjing Plant, International is still 28nm technology pondering - but after all, is the most advanced process in China, 40nm and 45nm is still the mainstream.
Be aware that 16nm is not the most advanced process technology that TSMC has already mass-produced, but only 10nm FinFET. According to the Taiwanese government's regulations, TSMC will leave the most advanced process technology, key production lines and core research and development work in Taiwan The company plans to produce 7nm wafers in Taiwan next year.
TSMC praised its top suppliers at the 17th Annual Supply Chain Management Forum, in particular, to assist TSMC's development of 10nm processes and 7nm and more advanced technologies. More than 600 semiconductor equipment, materials, packages and services from the world's semiconductor suppliers Businesspeople attended the forum.
Zuo Dachuan, senior vice president and chief information officer of TSMC, said: "With the support and assistance from its supplier partners, TSMC's 10nm production volume record again." TSMC also presented 12 outstanding equipment and material suppliers.
Compile: Liffy Liu