Taiwan’s GlobalWafers plans US$5 billion silicon wafer plant in Texas after failed European investment
- The plant, manufacturing 300-milimetre silicon wafers, will start being built later this year and generate as many as 1,500 jobs
- ‘GlobalWafers is taking this opportunity to address the United States semiconductor supply chain resiliency issue,’ CEO Doris Hsu said
Taiwan’s GlobalWafers Co will spend US$5 billion on a new plant in Texas to make silicon wafers used in semiconductors, switching to the United States after a failed European investment.
The company said late on Monday that the new plant, set to manufacture 300-milimetre silicon wafers, would start being built later this year and generate as many as 1,500 jobs in Sherman, Texas.
“With the global chips shortage and ongoing geopolitical concerns, GlobalWafers is taking this opportunity to address the United States semiconductor supply chain resiliency issue by building an advanced node, state-of-the-art, 300-millimeter silicon wafer factory,” company chairwoman and CEO Doris Hsu said.
“Instead of importing wafers from Asia, GlobalWafers USA will produce and supply wafers locally.”
The company added that the investment will be done “phase by phase” based on confirming actual customer demand.
GlobalWafers said in February it expected its total capital expenditure to reach T$100 billion (US$3.38 billion) between 2022 and 2024, redirecting funds for a now-ended 4.35-billion-euro (US$4.60 billion) takeover of Germany’s Siltronic.
The failed acquisition came as a global shortage of semiconductors has laid bare Europe’s dependence on Asian suppliers, which has triggered recent efforts to boost production across the continent.