Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and other chipmakers have temporarily paused their operations in chip facilities to investigate how much was affected by the recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan.
The massive calamity hit the country's east coast where its epicenter was situated, resulting in casualties and damages, one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the Southeast Asian country.
The companies are still examining the impact of the said earthquake despite not being situated on the epicenter, one that was still felt throughout the country and nearby regions.
TSMC to Assess Chip Facilities After 7.4 Magnitude Taiwan Earthquake
Bloomberg reported that TSMC released a statement regarding their investigation of its chip manufacturing facilities in the north and west coast of Taiwan after the 7.4 magnitude Taiwan earthquake today.
The company said that there were no damages found on its critical tools, but there are a small number of tools that were affected in its other facilities and is now working on recovery operations.
The company further said that it would continue to assess its chip facilities to determine the earthquake's effects on all aspects of its operations.
High-end chip manufacturing requires "24/7 seamless operations in a vacuum state for a few weeks" and small inconveniences may greatly affect it. TSMC expects that its production will resume overnight and will give further updates regarding its situation.
Other Chip Facilities Also Prompt Temporary Operation Suspension
Alongside TSMC, United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) also temporarily paused its chipmaking operations. The company is best known for making chips for the likes of AMD, MediaTek, Qualcomm, Realtek, and more.
The massive earthquake caused nine casualties in the country, with as many as 900 injured reported after the events, one of the strongest to hit Taiwan which also resulted in a series of 200 aftershocks.
TSMC and Taiwan's Chipmaking Business
Taiwan is one of the top sources of chips worldwide, with the United States known for its reliance on the country, naming it part of the 'Chip 4' alliance which also includes the US, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. Back in 2022, these four countries and their representatives discussed the chip business' resilience, particularly during this time when there is a shortage and massive demand.
Among the many companies in Taiwan's chipmaking business is TSMC, one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, best known for its development of the M-series and A-series chips.
Companies like AMD, Qualcomm, MediaTek, and more also rely on Taiwan for their chip designs to turn into reality, with Taiwan's UMC designated for the job.
The world's massive reliance on Taiwan for the development and manufacturing of modern technology semiconductors is a big deal, with calamities and other problems causing significant effects to all.
TSMC and UMC will have to examine all fronts of their businesses to ensure that chipmaking will continue and perform as expected, soon to return to regular operations if no issues are found.
