Three months after announcing further delays at its $40 billion Arizona fabs, TSMC has now stated that the plant is expected to be operating at full capacity by the end of the year. This announcement follows reports that TSMC is set to be awarded more than $5 billion in federal grants under the US CHIPS and Science Act.
TSMC's two plants for producing 4nm and 3nm semiconductors have faced delays since their announcement in 2021. In July 2022, the company delayed the production timeline for its 4nm chips at the site from 2024 to 2025 due to talent sourcing issues. In January 2024, outgoing TSMC chairman Mark Liu announced further delays, stating that the more advanced fabrication plant wouldn’t start production until 2027 or 2028, instead of the originally proposed 2026.
According to a report from the Chinese news outlet money.udn, TSMC expects to begin pilot production operations by mid-April, with preparations for mass production to be completed by the end of the year. It remains unclear whether both fabs or just the 4nm facility are now due to be in production ahead of schedule.
TSMC is scheduled to hold a press conference on April 18 to provide updates on the new timeline. TSMC is looking to address talent shortages at its Japanese plants by signing an agreement with Kyushu University. With a new production facility in Kumamoto and plans for a second site, projections indicate that the island will face an annual shortage of around 1,000 semiconductor-related personnel over the next decade. To address this, TSMC plans to offer a semiconductor curriculum at Kyushu University, sending staff to work as instructors and explore joint research opportunities under the reported terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
