TSMC's quarterly demand for chip manufacturing equipment has nearly doubled this year

Odaily News, TSMC (TSM.N) co-Chief Operating Officer Hou Yongqing said today that as the company expands capacity to meet artificial intelligence demand, its demand for chip manufacturing equipment has nearly doubled since the end of last year. Hou noted that the company has raised its quarterly equipment procurement estimate to approximately 1.9 times the level forecast in December last year. This is the latest sign that robust demand from AI developers and massive data center expansions worldwide are further boosting chip demand.

TSMC is also currently facing a shortage of experienced construction workers, as the company seeks to build and equip approximately 20 factories in the Taiwan region of China and overseas—an expansion drive unprecedented in the company's history. Previously, TSMC typically advanced construction on 4 to 5 new plants simultaneously. Hou said, "We are currently catching up at roughly 4 to 5 times the pace of the past, yet we still cannot keep up with demand." (Jin Shi)