Minimal impact on wafer fabs following Taiwanese earthquake
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck southern Taiwan near Chiayi in the early hours of January 21, 2025. According to TrendForce, preliminary assessments indicate minimal damage to nearby wafer fabs.
In Tainan, a key hub, TSMC and UMC initiated emergency protocols, including personnel evacuations and equipment shutdowns. While no critical equipment damage was reported, debris was found in furnace systems, prompting inspections.
TSMC operates an 8-inch fab and two 12-inch fabs in Tainan, producing a range of technologies from mature nodes to advanced 5/4nm and 3nm processes. UMC runs a 12-inch fab in the region, supporting nodes from 90nm to 14nm. According to TrendForcec, operations at these facilities began resuming on the morning of January 21 – the impact on actual production appears to be within controllable limits.
With demand for mature processes currently at a 70–80% utilisation rate due to seasonal factors, production adjustments are flexible. For advanced nodes, TrendForce believes that most wafer starts are for inventory preparation, enabling quick recovery from the brief downtime.
Impact on display manufacturing
Tainan is also home to major display manufacturer Innolux, which operates multiple fabs in the area. Some facilities reported equipment shutdowns, and damage assessments are ongoing. TrendForce cautions that this could worsen the already tight supply of TV panels in the first quarter of 2025.
While the earthquake caused minor disruptions, TrendForce concludes that the overall impact on semiconductor and display production is limited and under control.
