[News] Completion of TSMC’s Kumamoto Plant, Grand Opening on 2/24

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TSMC’s foundry in Kumamoto, Japan, has been completed. Currently, the tool-in is underway, with a grand opening ceremony scheduled for February 24^th, 2024.

Following this, trial production will commence, with mass production expected by the year-end. The Taiwanese semiconductor supply chain is optimistic about TSMC’s continued investment in local facilities, with plans for establishing service points in Japan.

According to reports from Japanese news source Kyodo News, TSMC’s Kumamoto plant is operated by its Japanese subsidiary, Jasm. Construction commenced in April 2022, with a 24-hour rush to completion. The office building facilities were inaugurated in August 2023, and the four-story, two-basement fab was also completed by the end of last year. The cleanroom’s total area, where production takes place, is approximately 45,000 square meters.

After the grand opening ceremony of TSMC’s Kumamoto plant, trial production will begin, with mass production scheduled by the end of this year. The plant aims to produce 22/28nm and 12/16nm process chips, targeting a monthly capacity of 55,000 wafers. Joint venture partners at the facility include Sony’s subsidiary Sony Semiconductor Solutions and Denso.

According to Japanese media Nikkei Asia, TSMC is currently assessing the construction of a second plant in Kumamoto. The estimated total investment for this new facility is around JPY 2 trillion, and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry is considering a subsidy of approximately JPY 900 billion, surpassing the amount for the first plant. TSMC plans to utilize the Kumamoto Fab 2 for the production of 6nm chips. There is potential for further investment in a third plant in the future.

As per a report from Liberty Times Net, with optimism for TSMC’s opportunities in Japan, Taiwan’s semiconductor supply chain is establishing service points in the country.

Cleanroom and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) integration engineering service provider, Marketech International Corp., has set up a subsidiary in Japan to cater to major clients. Topco Scientific Co. has established SHUNKAWA CO., LTD. in Japan and a branch in Kumamoto to offer specialized chemical warehouse services to major clients.

Analytical testing facility, MA-tek, established a lab in Nagoya over four years ago and expanded with a second lab in Kumamoto last September due to increased demand. Following suit, MSSCORPS Co. plans to establish a testing and analytical center in Tokyo, Japan.

Read more

• [News] TSMC’s Kumamoto Plant Production Capacity Set for Significant Leap, Gradually Increasing to 55,000 Wafers per Month
• [News] Rumored to Build Third Plant in Kumamoto, TSMC: Currently Focusing on Assessing the Construction of a Second Plant

(Photo credit: TSMC)