By Julia Bergström

U.S., Taiwan Ramp Up Semi Investments

U.S. chip materials maker Entegris plans to more than double its investment in Taiwan by building its largest manufacturing site on the island to supply products to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and others. Operations at the site in Kaohsiung are set to begin by the end of this year, with mass production expected by mid-2023. The company will invest US$500 million in Taiwan over the next three years, according to company CEO and President Bertrand Loy.

Meanwhile, Gudeng Precision Industrial Co, the sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pods to TSMC, said on December 29 that it is looking at setting up a factory in the U.S. in connection with TSMC’s capacity expansion there. Before embarking on the project, Gudeng is deploying several employees to work at the company’s U.S. office, providing on-site services to customers. Several other TSMC suppliers are also considering following TSMC and other customers in setting up similar operations in the U.S. TSMC plans to increase its global 2022 Capex budget by around 46% to exceed US$44 billion, citing continued strong global demand for advanced technology.