Benzinga·2025-12-24 09:15Core Viewpoint - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is accelerating factory construction and equipment deliveries in response to surging demand for AI chips, with operations expected to run at full capacity into 2026 [1][2]. Group 1: Factory Construction and Capacity Expansion - TSMC is ramping up plant construction and capacity expansion in Taiwan and the U.S. due to soaring demand for artificial intelligence chips [2]. - The company is currently building and expanding multiple advanced-node fabs, including 2-nanometer facilities in Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, while also expanding 3-nanometer capacity in southern Taiwan [3]. - Construction has commenced on a 1.4-nanometer fab in central Taiwan, along with significant investments in advanced packaging facilities, such as chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) [4]. Group 2: Equipment and Capital Spending - TSMC has urged equipment suppliers to shorten delivery times to ensure additional production capacity is available next year [2]. - Industry experts estimate TSMC's capital spending for the next year could reach between $48 billion and $50 billion, reflecting the scale of its AI-driven expansion [4]. - Advanced packaging equipment makers expect elevated shipment volumes through at least the second quarter of next year, with many suppliers anticipating full-capacity operations throughout 2026 [5].