Taiwanese firms target Czech Republic for chip production
Business groups from Taiwan and the Czech Republic have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore semiconductor manufacturing in the region.
Various parties gathered at a seminar in Teipei to discuss the potential collaboration, including Taiwanese semiconductor material supplier Topoc Scientific Co, Taiwan Eastbound Alliance-Landing America and the Czech National Semiconductor Cluster.
Like other geopolitical regions, Europe is working hard to on-shore its chip supply chain and compete more strongly in the global semiconductor space. The Czech Republic has had some success in attracting overseas investment. Taiwanese companies, such as iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry and Pegatron, contract notebook computer maker Wistron Corp and PC brand Asustek have already invested in the country.
And in November last year, the Supply Chain Resilience Center, jointly founded by Taiwan and the Czech Republic, was established to build a local base.
At the summit meeting, J.W. Kuo, chairman of TeaLa and Topoc, said: “With regional supply chain synergy and the Czech Republic’s industrial and economic strength, coupled with its geographical advantage, the prospects for the semiconductor industry in the Czech Republic are promising."
It was also noted that TSMC is currently working with Bosch, Infineon and NXP to set up the European Semiconductor Manufacturing Co JV to build a wafer fab in Dresden, which is just a few miles from the Czech border. The German plant is scheduled to start commercial production of 12, 16 and 22nm modes from 2027.
Meanwhile, just days ago Vitesco announced it would open a 38,000 square metre manufacturing and automated logistics centre in Ostrava-Hrušov by the year's end. The facility will employ more than 1,000 by 2027 to manufacture drive technologies and electrification solutions.
