Core Viewpoint - TSMC plans to build four advanced packaging (AP) factories to address capacity shortages and maintain its competitive edge in the semiconductor industry, particularly in advanced packaging technologies like CoWoS [1][4][11] Group 1: TSMC's Expansion Plans - TSMC will announce the expansion of four advanced packaging factories in Tainan, including locations in Chiayi Science Park and Southern Science Park [1] - The company aims to start mass production at its AP factory 1 in the Ziyi Technology Park in the first half of this year [1] - TSMC's expansion is a response to concerns about its potential transformation into "American TSMC" due to recent factory expansions in the U.S. [1] Group 2: Industry Trends and Challenges - The global tech industry is facing intense competition for advanced packaging technology, particularly TSMC's CoWoS, which is critical for connecting high-performance chips with ultra-fast memory [4][9] - By 2026, the bottleneck in AI GPU supply will shift from chip shortages to the complex assembly processes required for advanced packaging [4][9] - The transition from wafer-level packaging (WLP) to fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP) is expected to increase processing capacity significantly [11] Group 3: Strategic Implications - NVIDIA has secured nearly 60% of TSMC's CoWoS capacity for 2026, influencing competitors like AMD and Broadcom to vie for the remaining capacity [7] - The advanced packaging secondary market is rapidly maturing, with companies like Intel positioning their packaging technologies as alternatives to TSMC [8] - The industry's reliance on TSMC for advanced packaging creates vulnerabilities, as geopolitical stability in the Taiwan Strait remains a critical factor for the global AI economy [8][12] Group 4: Future Outlook - The industry's focus is shifting towards the physical realities of AI hardware, with advanced packaging becoming a crucial factor in the growth of AI capabilities [9][10] - Upcoming challenges include the transition to glass substrates for improved interconnect density and thermal management, which could disrupt TSMC's current dominance [11] - The success of HBM4 chip yields and the ramp-up of TSMC's AP7 capacity will be closely monitored, as delays could impact the release of next-generation AI models [12]
台积电新建四个封装厂