Apple Chip Supplier TSMC Celebrates Arizona Factory Nearing Completion

[Rigby]

Look at that, $12B of domestic chip plant investment that didn't need $52B in US government subsidies (handouts).

Look at that, TSMC asking for a share of that as well, in addition to the huge subsidies they receive from the government of Taiwan.

TSMC and Samsung seeking Chips Act money

TSMC and Samsung are looking for a share of the $52 billion which the US is planning to spend on US domestic chip production under the Chips Act.

www.electronicsweekly.com

 

[BootsWalking]

"Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, the semiconductor company building a $12 billion plant in Arizona, has reportedly secured aid from federal and state governments...
TSMC announced it will build a $12 billion chip fabrication plant in Arizona, creating more than 1,600 jobs. The company expects construction on the plant to kick off in 2021...
The size of the subsidies is still under negotiations, however. "We are still talking to the U.S. government.""

Taiwan Semiconductor Secures Government Aid for U.S.-Based Chip Plant | The Motley Fool

TSMC is working with US government officials regarding the size of the subsidies.

www.fool.com

The point being that even though the company may have paid the initial amount itself (not referenced directly as certain in the article as it says that TSMC "secured aid from Federal and State govts"), it does Not negate the information already publicized elsewhere that the company did/will receive some types of govt aid, Fed or state/local, at that time or in the future.

How obtuse you want to be about being 'right' about about what TSMC actually privately negotiated with the Fed and State/local govts?
Were you actually there or anyone else here at Macrumors? Doubtful!

It's commonplace for manufacturing companies to ask for govt subsidies before it builds the factories inside the US/state. Sometimes it's not publicized enough for people to know but many are publicized eventually.

The company announced the plant before securing any aid. How many times does the point of the company not needing subsidies to build the plant need to be repeated before it sticks with you?

And yes, I'm against government subsidies. TSMC earned $18B last quarter. Intel used to make billions before they got complacent. There is no reason these companies should be given billions of dollars of our money.

 

[MrMojo1]

The company announced the plant before securing any aid. How many times does the point of the company not needing subsidies to build the plant need to be repeated before it sticks with you?

And yes, I'm against government subsidies. TSMC earned $18B last quarter. Intel used to make billions before they got complacent. There is no reason these companies should be given billions of dollars of our money.

That's not the point and irrelevant that the company built the plant with its own money Initially.

How many times does the point that the company actually received or will receive some additional types of govt aid, federal or state/local, need to be repeated before that sticks to you?

The Point of the matter is that the company DID receive SOME fed/state subsidies before building the plant construction, as mentioned in the referenced articles, and that it will ask for More FED govt aid after the new fed govt bill that recently passed!

Good day!

Thanks @Rigby for the updated media article!
There'll be more media articles to come as many other chip manufacturers will jump for that new Fed govt subsidy.

 

[jav6454]

While likely this is a 5nm Fab, I can already see TSMC having it upgraded to 3nm or less soon given the political tensions of independent Taiwan and tyrannical China.

 

[Rigby]

The company announced the plant before securing any aid. How many times does the point of the company not needing subsidies to build the plant need to be repeated before it sticks with you?

Anyone can make announcements. They didn't make a final decision to build until the incentives had been agreed to by Arizona.

And yes, I'm against government subsidies. TSMC earned $18B last quarter. Intel used to make billions before they got complacent.

They still make billions. It's true that Intel made mistakes in recent years, but it's also true that TSMC wouldn't be in the position they are in today without the large subsidies they received from Taiwan. The CHIPS act (as well as a comparable program in Europe) is an attempt to partially level the playing field.

It should be noted that the Arizona fab will be one generation behind when it goes online and will likely never be at TSMC's leading edge. TSMC likes to keep their best stuff close to their vest.

 

[BuddyTronic]

I’m happy to see this type of thing being built in the US, but is Phoenix really the best choice for this? Semiconductor manufacturing uses a lot of water, and Phoenix (and the entire Southwestern US) doesn’t exactly have a lot to spare given the mega-drought.

Well yes, I guess Arizona is great for this and that could be why microchip, Intel, and TSMC are in Phoenix. Probably some explanations would come from these companies

 

[BuddyTronic]

Sadly this will go the same way as of the sapphire project, it’ll be a complete disaster and money wasted.

Nope

 

[Sir_Macs_A_Lot]

I know it's Arizona, but come on TSMC...get some people of color up in that piece!

 

[falainber]

That's an absurd claim.

CHIPS Act subsidies vital to Arizona plant, says Apple chipmaker TSMC - https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/30/chips-act/

 

[falainber]

The company announced the plant before securing any aid. How many times does the point of the company not needing subsidies to build the plant need to be repeated before it sticks with you?

And yes, I'm against government subsidies. TSMC earned $18B last quarter. Intel used to make billions before they got complacent. There is no reason these companies should be given billions of dollars of our money.

18B was revenues, not profits. TSMC was forced to build FAB in US because US government forced them to. TSMC is taking subsidies from US government, just like they already took $3.5B in subsidies from Japanese government this year.

 

[jz0309]

Sadly this will go the same way as of the sapphire project, it’ll be a complete disaster and money wasted.

And what makes you say that?

 

[Karma*Police]

Uhh, what world are you living in? Semiconductor shortages (and other commodities) are killing my company here in Silicon Valley.

He might’ve been getting it confused with memory chips, which MU has disclosed they have too much of now.

 

[mi7chy]

Too bad there's now a glut of ICs and buyer demand has dropped.

 

[gund1234]

Sadly this will go the same way as of the sapphire project, it’ll be a complete disaster and money wasted.

How do you know ?
TSMC already makes Chips.
I heard that that Sapphire company couldn't make sapphire in large quantities needed for Apple.
Because the company that was selected to make Sapphire was not a manufacturing company, they were making equipment that manufactures Sapphire.

 

[gund1234]

The company announced the plant before securing any aid. How many times does the point of the company not needing subsidies to build the plant need to be repeated before it sticks with you?

And yes, I'm against government subsidies. TSMC earned $18B last quarter. Intel used to make billions before they got complacent. There is no reason these companies should be given billions of dollars of our money.

I am against government funding for corporations/businesses, but the problem is China is ready to subsidize them, thats how manufacturing is cheap in China. they subsidize manufacturing so that corporations move their manufacturing there, then they steal all the technology and start competing with these corporations.

 

[_Spinn_]

Glad to see TSMC is diversifying production outside Taiwan.

 

[planteater]

They should hire somebody who really speaks Spanish or at least get another banner company.

Felicitaciones por un trabajo BIEN hecho, not BUEN

Check out the translation for "bien hecho" on SpanishDictionary.com!

Translate millions of words and phrases for free on SpanishDictionary.com, the world's largest Spanish-English dictionary and translation website.

www.spanishdict.com

Edit: Oh, I get it, "buen hecho" was in the picture. Yes, you are correct obviously. Good eye.

 

[R!TTER]

It's true that Intel made mistakes in recent years, but it's also true that TSMC wouldn't be in the position they are in today without the large subsidies they received from Taiwan.

And Intel could've done more R&D rather than spending the last $50 (40?) billion in dividends or share buybacks over the last decade to close that gap with TSMC. TSMC is in a position today because of their execution, subsidies are just a red herring!

 

[steve333]

The U.S.should work with Taiwan companies to be able to switch to U.S. based companies if China should ever invade Taiwan and all factories should be set up with explosives to be destroyed remotely should China end up taking over Taiwan.

 

[DownUnderDan]

This factory will be a heavily guarded asset for years to come once operational, given its significance and it’s geopolitical implications.

It might also be the factor that leads the US to step away from it’s defence of Taiwan and allow China to retake the island and reintegrate it as part of China.

InGen is available for parties. Hong Kong bookings a speciality.

 

[svish]

Great to see the factory coming up in USA! Hopefully they can set up more factories in other countries also.

 

[cwkoller5]

Why in the world would TAIWAN Semiconductor stop making chips in Taiwan?
Sounds like some ethnic or racial fearmongering to me.

Have you ever been to Taiwain? It's one of the most robust electronics manufacturing communities on the planet. They used to make 90% of LCD screens there and basically every computer motherboard. Computer hardware is a huge business for the Taiwanese and the cutting edge stuff is only found in one place -- Taiwan. Anyway, as long as the Taiwanese have this expertise they will manufacture in their own country, unless someone can beat them. So far, no dice.

The US plants will be doing some impressive work, but all the cutting edge stuff will be done by the TAIWANESE Semiconductor corporation in TAIWAN. Do I like that? I don't really have an opinion, because I don't judge people by their national origin or ethnicity.

Seems to me more of an insurance policy. Having a single point of failure is never a smart system.

 

[huge_apple_fangirl]

They still make billions. It's true that Intel made mistakes in recent years, but it's also true that TSMC wouldn't be in the position they are in today without the large subsidies they received from Taiwan. The CHIPS act (as well as a comparable program in Europe) is an attempt to partially level the playing field.

Intel lost half a billion this quarter- the CHIPS Act is functionally a bailout.
TSMC got lots of subsidies, yes, but they also have phenomenal management that didn’t waste money on buybacks, courted Apple at an opportune time, and were first on line for ASML’s machines. Intel did the opposite. When TSMC had issues with a node, they brought back Morris Chang to fix things up. When Intel had problems they denied it for years and bought in ghouls from Qualcomm.

Subsidizing Intel won’t magically fix their problems, but printing all this money with so much inflation going on will hurt consumers. I just hope Intel uses this money to actually fix themselves, rather than to cut their own capex and have taxpayers fund it.

 

[Da_Hood]

If you dig into TSMC’s operations more, I think it’s somewhere in the range of 92% of the water they use in manufacturing is recycled. Initial start up is large, but is not constant from what I understand.

Correct. The water has to be free of contaminants, so would require processing anyway. More predictable to recycle same water over and over.

 

[R!TTER]

Subsidizing Intel won’t magically fix their problems, but printing all this money with so much inflation going on will hurt consumers. I just hope Intel uses this money to actually fix themselves, rather than to cut their own capex and have taxpayers fund it.

Too late for that!

Intel Cuts Fab Buildout by $4B To Pay Billions In Dividends – First Net Loss In Over 30 Years, Cutting Fab Buildouts, But “Committed To Growing The Dividend”

Source