BITS + CHIPS
No cutback in customer orders, says TSMC chairman
Monica Chen, Taipei; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES
Wednesday 16 December 2020
TSMC chairman Mark Liu has dismissed recent speculation that claimed a cutback in 5nm chip orders from Apple would drag down the foundry's 5nm process capacity utilization to 80% in the first half of 2021.
TSMC is poised to enjoy a particularly strong first half of next year, said Liu, adding that the foundry has not been notified by any client about a cutback in orders. TSMC has utilized 100% of its 5nm process capacity, and expects 5nm chip sales to drive its revenue growth in 2021.
In addition, Liu commented that the semiconductor industry is dealing with unprecedented changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions. Keeping inventory at appropriate levels is being determined in a new way under the current circumstances, and new ways are needed for assessing supply-chain issues such as overbooking and double-ordering, Liu said.
TSMC and the supply chain in which it is engaged have managed to deal with all unfavorable macro factors thus far this year, according to Liu. TSMC will see its sales outperform seasonal patterns until at least the first half of next year, said Liu.
In response to recent media reports claiming TSMC has canceled discounts on 12-inch wafer fabrication processes for next year, Liu said TSMC has its own pricing strategy that helps the foundry maintain both good relationships with its clients and sustainable profits.
digitimes.com |
