TSMC's scheduled opening of its second factory in Arizona has been postponed from 2025 to 2027 or 2028 due to a shortage of skilled workers. The announcement was made by TSMC chairman Mark Liu during an earnings call, attributing the delay to the need for more assistance from the government to complete the construction. The company's overall investment in the state is projected to be USD 40 billion. There are now concerns that the construction issues might impact TSMC's ability to produce 3-nanometer chips at the Arizona site, potentially leading to a focus on less advanced products. Despite this setback, the first Arizona facility is still expected to begin production of 4-nanometer technology in the first half of 2025.
Additionally, TSMC is striving to diversify its production away from Taiwan, with plans for a new facility in Dresden, Germany, and its first facility in Kumamoto, Japan, set to officially open next month with mass production scheduled for Q4 2024. There are also considerations for establishing a second facility in Japan to manufacture 12nm chips by the end of 2026. These developments highlight TSMC's efforts to expand its manufacturing footprint globally amidst various challenges.
