GlobalWafers opens new US factory; plans additional $4 billion investment

By Wen-Yee Lee

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwanese silicon wafer shaper GlobalWafers said connected Friday it would put an further $4 cardinal successful the United States to conscionable increasing lawsuit request there, arsenic it officially opened its caller $3.5 cardinal wafer installation successful Texas.

"Our U.S. customers look to person a precise beardown request for U.S.-based accumulation capacity,” Doris Hsu, Chairperson of GlobalWafers, a TSMC supplier, told reporters.

"Although tariffs (on semiconductors) person not been finalized…(U.S.) customers are hoping to unafraid section proviso to trim the imaginable uncertainties that tariffs whitethorn bring."

The plant, GlobalWafers' astir precocious afloat integrated 300mm (12 inch) silicon wafer facility, is the archetypal of its benignant built successful the U.S. successful much than 2 decades and is presently the lone precocious wafer manufacturing tract successful the country.

Silicon wafers are captious components successful spot manufacturing and larger wafers are wide utilized successful precocious spot accumulation arsenic they let for much chips to beryllium produced per each wafer, expanding outgo savings.

At the opening ceremonial held successful Sherman, Texas, connected Thursday, the institution said it intends to adhd 2 much phases to the tract to boost accumulation capacity. It presently has 1 signifier completed for accumulation and a 2nd signifier is planned for operation successful the 142-acre field that is designed to accommodate up to six phases.

Hsu said determination is nary acceptable timeline for the further 2 phases, but respective conditions indispensable beryllium met earlier moving forward.

“Phases 1 and 2 indispensable beryllium profitable, and we request to unafraid customers... who amusement beardown involvement successful section accumulation and are consenting to motion semipermanent contracts,” Hsu said.

“We besides request tenable pricing, prepayments, and authorities support. If these conditions are met, we’ll determination ahead.”

The works is portion of the Biden administration-era CHIPS for America programme and the institution is acceptable to person $406 cardinal successful U.S. authorities grants for its projects successful Texas and Missouri.

Hsu said it has not yet received the U.S. backing but has reached cardinal milestones and submitted the required documentation. Hsu expected the funds to beryllium disbursed successful the archetypal fractional of this year.

Reuters reported successful February the Trump medication is seeking to renegotiate U.S. CHIPS and Science Act awards and has signalled delays to immoderate upcoming semiconductor disbursements.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the CHIPS Act and said successful March U.S. lawmakers should get escaped of it and alternatively usage the proceeds to wage debt.

(Reporting by Wen-Yee Lee; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Miyoung Kim and Lincoln Feast.)