GlobalWafers Expands Overseas Amid Tariff Fears: Taiwan’s Chip-Maker Charts Growth in US and Europe

GlobalWafers from Taiwan is expanding its chip production capabilities internationally due to concerns over potential tariffs. The company, which ranks third globally in silicon wafer supply, is broadening its manufacturing footprint in the United States and Europe. The firm's CEO, Doris Hsu, has expressed worries about the imposition of a 'special tariff'.

GlobalWafers is proactively expanding its manufacturing base abroad in response to the predicted increase in chip material tariffs. This highlights the mounting belief that reciprocal trade actions will likely interrupt the semiconductor supply chain in the near future.

The third biggest silicon wafer supplier globally is broadening its manufacturing facilities in six out of the nine nations where it has operations. This includes two factories in the United States, and one each in Italy and Denmark.

Doris Hsu, the Chairwoman and CEO of GlobalWafers, expressed her belief to Bloomberg Television that not just in the United States, but in various other nations as well, particular industries may face specialized tariffs. She further added that one potential solution to circumvent these tariffs could be the transition to domestic manufacturing.

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The world's biggest contract chip manufacturer, TSMC, has officially opened its first factory in Japan.

Global governments are beginning to perceive semiconductor technology as a matter of national security in light of the chip shortages experienced during and subsequent to the Covid-19 pandemic, which severely impacted various sectors, particularly auto production. The escalating geopolitical conflicts have only heightened the urgency.