TSMC to build 2nd chip plant near 1st factory in Japan's Kumamoto

[Daniel Nenni]

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. will likely make an announcement on its second plant in Japan's Kumamoto prefecture this February, a lawmaker there says. © Reuters

January 29, 2024 00:30 JST
KUMAMOTO, Japan (Kyodo) -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest contract chipmaker, will build a second plant in the same town as its first in Kumamoto prefecture, a lawmaker said Sunday.

TSMC is likely to make a formal announcement on the location of its second factory in February, said farm minister Tetsushi Sakamoto, the House of Representatives lawmaker representing the Kumamoto No. 3 constituency including the town of Kikuyo.

The chipmaker is expected to invest around 2 trillion yen ($13.5 billion) in the new plant, raising hopes that it will boost the economy in the southwestern Japanese prefecture. However, it could lead to complaints about groundwater pollution and traffic jams, locals said.

TSMC's first plant, a wafer factory, cost $8.6 billion, with mass production scheduled to begin later this year.

TSMC to build 2nd chip plant near 1st factory in Japan's Kumamoto

Formal announcement likely in February, lower house lawmaker says

asia.nikkei.com

 

[nghanayem]

$13.5B sounds like it could well be an N5 or beyond fab.

 

[Daniel Nenni]

$13.5B sounds like it could well be an N5 or beyond fab.

My guess would be N3 since it is a probably couple of years out. No way it is N2.

 

[nghanayem]

My guess would be N3 since it is a probably couple of years out. No way it is N2.

My gut says N3 too, however with that said I could totally see N2. Given a fab takes TSMC like 4 years to build out, N2 will be old news by then (2028/2029ish depending on when ground gets broken). It could end up being a similar situation to N5 in AZ (assuming the demand signals were there to not push out by a year). It also might make sense because they couldn’t get approval for that expansion to one of their sites (and I can’t remember if they chose a replacement site yet).

 

[Daniel Nenni]

My gut says N3 too, however with that said I could totally see N2. Given a fab takes TSMC like 4 years to build out, N2 will be old news by then (2028/2029ish depending on when ground gets broken). It could end up being a similar situation to N5 in AZ (assuming the demand signals were there to not push out by a year). It also might make sense because they couldn’t get approval for that expansion to one of their sites (and I can’t remember if they chose a replacement site yet).

The TSMC fab build in Japan has gone very fast. My bet is N3 and in a hurry.

 

[Mooredaddy]

The TSMC fab build in Japan has gone very fast. My bet is N3 and in a hurry.

U.S unions do an excellent job of sucking money and time out of every project.

 

[Barnsley]

U.S unions do an excellent job of sucking money and time out of every project.

I guess the relationship between workers and the senior management is broken.

I dont see the problem with having positive relationships between the too.

Leverage , carrots and sticks , doesnt bode well for anyone.