Only a quarter of this year, there have already been a sensational Russian-Ukrainian incident. Since Russia's action against Ukraine, Western countries have begun to deliberately target Russia, affecting russia's multiple fields to varying degrees, and then affecting many industries around the world. Because Russia and Ukraine are the most important suppliers of a variety of key materials for chips, the chip industry has been deeply affected.
Recently, the United States officially prepared to introduce a $52 billion chip subsidy policy, trying to accelerate the development of the local semiconductor industry. The United States also seems to have thrown an olive branch to UMC, intending to carry out some cooperation...
UMC may build a factory in the United States
Recently, according to media reports, the United States invited UMC to build a 12-inch fab in Detroit, in order to allow UMC to provide automotive chips for local depots. As we all know, Detroit has always been known for its automobile industry, known as the "Auto City", Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, the headquarters of the three large American car companies are located in Detroit.
If an agreement is reached, UMC will be the first time to build a factory in the United States and manufacture automotive chips. Professionals believe that if UMC accepts the invitation from the United States, the investment is expected to reach about 3.5 billion US dollars, and the initial monthly production capacity can reach 15,000 to 20,000 pieces. It is not only conducive to the expansion of UMC's own overseas markets, but also conducive to the development of the semiconductor industry in the United States.
At present, in response to the above situation, UMC has not yet made a statement, but stressed that the company will adopt a strategy of dispersing production bases and continue to evaluate and set up factories around the world.
As an "automobile city", Detroit has the blessing of the three major American car companies, producing traditional fuel vehicles and producing electric vehicles. Now many auto parts need automotive chips to be used, which has also led to a surge in the use of automotive chips by these car companies, coupled with the recent turmoil in Russia and Ukraine, automotive chips are in short supply.
UMC has great advantages in the manufacture of automotive chips: the automotive process covers a wide range, many applicable equipment and so on. This is also the reason why the United States chose to throw an olive branch to UMC.
At present, there is a shortage of chips in the world, and Samsung and Taiwan Union Have previously announced that they will build factories in the United States
In addition to UMC, the United States has also reached agreements with several other large high-tech companies.
On May 15, 2020, TSMC announced a $12 billion chip factory in the United States. At that time, U.S. officials actively promoted semiconductor companies to establish chip factories in the United States to reduce chip imports from other regions. It is reported that the chip factory will be based on 5nm process, mass production in 2024, with a monthly production capacity of 20,000 pieces.
On March 15, 2021, in order to increase production in the United States, Intel invested $20 billion to build two new chip factories in Arizona, USA, mainly to manufacture 7nm processes, and is expected to achieve mass production in 2024.
On November 24, 2021, Samsung announced the establishment of a chip factory in Texas, USA, costing $47 billion, and will start construction in 2022, after achieving mass production, it will mainly manufacture 5nm processes for mobile 5G, AI and other fields.
The United States wants to do everything possible to make a number of high-tech enterprises settle in the United States, what is it trying to do? Industry insiders said that some time ago, many international car companies have "lacked cores", and they all hope to have stable chip foundry services to ensure the stable supply of chips.
Whether it is Samsung, TSMC, or UMC, the United States warmly welcomes to settle in. Previously, in addition to the supply of core companies such as Intel in China, the United States will also import a large number of chips in Asia to meet domestic chip demand. In the past two years, chip subsidy measures in the United States have also appeared frequently, and it seems that the United States intends to reduce the demand for chips abroad, leave foreign technology at home, and realize domestic independent manufacturing of chips.
However, some experts believe that the United States is likely to exacerbate the risk of chip monopoly by doing so. Samsung, TSMC and UMC these core companies have extremely sophisticated chip manufacturing technology, the United States after the introduction of these companies, in the realization of domestic production increase at the same time, it is likely to restrict exports to achieve chip monopoly.
Text | Zhao Jinjie title | Zeng Yi reviewed | Lee Ze-plutonium