TSMC has resumed production. Losses are estimated at $62 million

Yesterday, April 3, 2024, in the early morning hours of Polish time A very strong earthquake occurred in eastern Taiwan. Depending on the sources, it is said about 7.2 or 7.4 on the Richter scale. Therefore, it was the most powerful such event in this part of the globe since 1999.

Production at TSMC has already returned to 70-80% of normal

As Taiwan is a key player in the production of semiconductor chips, this earthquake had a catastrophic impact not only on everyday human life, but also on the consumer electronics market. Today, several dozen hours after the event, a wider scale of destruction is already known.

As reported by DigiTimes, TSMC estimates its losses at approximately $62 million. This includes both work stoppages caused by the evacuation of employees and damage to plants. Luckily the most advanced EUV equipment is apparently “safe and sound”.

Although there is no official list of damage, according to sources familiar with the company's operations, TSMC N3 plant In Tainan and another factory in Xinzhu were affected by the following problems:

• Extensive damage to silicon wafers (Xinzhu)
• Damaged pipelines (Xinzhu)
• Broken beams (N3)
• Broken columns (N3)
• Cracked walls of research and development laboratories (N3)

It appears that steps taken during construction modern FABs have mostly paid off. TSMC and other industries that suffered greatly from the 1999 earthquakes eagerly adopted seismic management measures. Thus buildings are built to withstand earthquakes.

However, it must be remembered that although the giants survived this unscathed, there are many smaller companies that may be exposed to more serious disruptions. Factories require, among others: a constant and reliable flow of energy, as well as purified air, water and chemicals to run smoothly.