Insideview
ASML and Taiwan's electronics industry
The ECCT arranged a Next Generation Business & Leaders Series Premium Event on the topic of ASML and the future of Taiwan’s electronics industry. Read the full Event Report.
The latest event in the series, and the first of 2022, featured a presentation by guest speaker Tony Chao (趙中榛), Senior Managing Director of ASML Taiwan’s Center of Excellence, and a panel discussion featuring the speaker and panellists Terry Tsao (曹世綸), Global Chief Marketing Officer and President of SEMI Taiwan; Emile MP Chang (張銘斌), Director-General of the Department of Invest Services (DOIS), under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and Jordan Wu (吳炳昌), President and CEO of Himax Technologies. The panel discussion was moderated by ECCT Chairman H Henry Chang.
In his presentation, Tony Chao gave a detailed explanation of how semiconductors are made, as well as ASML’s role in the supply chain and global semiconductor market.
In 2020 global semiconductor sales reached US$450 billion and one trillion chips were shipped, equivalent to 130 chips for each person on the planet.
Moore’s Law, which predicted a doubling of transistor capacity roughly every two years, has held true since it was formulated, and Chao expects it to continue beyond the next decade as the industry is moving towards one billion transistors per square millimetre. Thanks to shrinkage, chips are not only becoming smaller, faster and more energy efficient but also cheaper. This, he says, creates a virtuous cycle that can transform markets.
In the Q&A session Emile Chang said that his office had seen a huge increase in inbound investments into Taiwan over the past three years, both from local and foreign investors as they move to diversify their supply chains.
Terry Tsao noted that SEMI not only advocates on behalf of its own 2,400 members in the industry but also for the development of renewable energy and supports the development of new technologies and talent. As the world’s number 2 market in terms of production value, number 1 in foundry and number 2 in fabless design, he said he expects Taiwan to continue to play a crucial role in global semiconductor development, building on its reputation as a trusted partner (helped by the fact that local players do not compete with their customers).
Jordan Wu introduced Himax, one of the world’s top 10 fabless chip designers with a 40% global market share of Driver ICs. He said that he anticipates strong growth in the AIOT and automotive sectors ahead.
Terry Chao concluded by listing the three biggest challenges facing the industry: ensuring sufficient power, water and talent.
