With the signing of the US Chip Act, it will provide about $52 billion in government subsidies for research and production of U.S. semiconductors, as well as investment tax credits for an estimated $24 billion worth of chip factories. Research organization TECHCET pointed out that the next step in the US semiconductor industry should increase investment in the field of materials.
While U.S. companies have been industry leaders in chip design, manufacturing, fab equipment, and advanced materials, Asian investment and government incentives have reduced U.S. investment in chip manufacturing and materials manufacturing over the past few decades, TECHCET analysis share of the field. These Asian investments, coupled with lower costs and looser regulations, have expanded the region's customer base for materials and equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing.
At present, some key fab projects in the United States have started, some projects have just been announced, and there may be more projects on the way. Although this is good news for the US semiconductor industry, these fab projects, especially the generation of advanced processes Industrial and memory fabs (such as Intel, TSMC, and Micron) take 2-3 years to build and go into mass production. In contrast, similar fabs in Asia have continued to put into mass production and have grown year by year, so supporting material suppliers have long focused on the Asian market. and other major semiconductor production bases to build new factories or expand production. Material suppliers such as DuPont and EMD build facilities near these plants to support state-of-the-art manufacturing processes.
TECHCET said that events such as the global epidemic, trade war, and Russia-Ukraine conflict have forced each country to examine the vulnerability of its own supply chain and realize the importance of having local chip manufacturing and R&D. But building new foundries means that most companies can’t afford huge expenses without government support, and while the grants and tax benefits of the US Chip Act help advance these goals, new foundries alone won’t really solve the problem. shortage problem.
In particular, chips cannot be made without materials. To this end, TECHCET President and CEO Lita Shon-Roy said that semiconductor manufacturing is a key strategic industry for the nation's economy and its national security, as is materials. While some materials investment projects have been announced, the materials supply chain is expected to come under pressure as more new foundries enter mass production in the U.S. Material supply chain for materials.
TECHCET has previously emphasized that US chip manufacturing relies heavily on imported high-purity chemicals, especially on high-purity chemicals, silicon wafers and other materials. Any funding and support for chemicals and materials produced in the United States through the USChip Act will significantly strengthen supply chains and reduce the risk of shortages and heavy reliance on imports.