Taiwanese chip giant says there is “progress” at its US plant.

The president of the Taiwanese giant chips TSMC assured this Wednesday that there have been “progress” at its plant under construction in USA. The start of production at the Arizona plant (west) has been delayed due to a shortage of workers and alleged union conflicts.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is a key player in the sector, controlling more than half of the world’s production of microchips. These chips are needed to power all sorts of gadgets, from coffee machines to missiles.

The tension between China and the island of Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory, has heightened concerns about the global supply of chips.

The bulk of TSMC’s production is in Hsinchu, in northern Taiwan, but the group is expanding its global business with the planned plant in Arizona, one of the largest foreign investments in the United States.

But the start of production at the plant was pushed back to 2025, which TSMC blamed on a shortage of skilled workers.

“The spirits of our Arizona colleagues are very high and they have made rapid progress in recent months,” said TSMC Chairman Mark Liu, speaking on the sidelines of SemiCon Taiwan, a three-day semiconductor industry conference in Taipei.

Last month, TSMC agreed to invest $3.8 billion in a new semiconductor factory in Germany, the first in Europe, where the main focus would be on producing chips for the auto industry.

“We are currently asking the German government and the EU for subsidies (…) Everything is going very well for now,” Liu told reporters at SemiCon.

Source: AFP