- Samsung (OTC:SSNNF,OTC:SSNLF) is considering investing upwards of $10B in a Texas-based chip plant to catch up with foundry rival TSMC (NYSE:TSM), according to Bloomberg sources.
- The fab in Austin would be capable of producing chips as advanced as 3nm. Construction could begin this year with equipment installation to follow in 2022 and operations starting in 2023.
- The plant would be the first in the U.S. to use extreme ultraviolet lithography or EUV machines, which create advanced wafers with higher capacity and lower costs. ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) is the global EUV machine provider.
- Bloomberg's sources say the plans are in the preliminary stages and could change.
- The U.S. has pushed to bring more semiconductor production stateside to help narrow the production gap with Taiwan and Korea.
- Last month, TrendForce predicted that Samsung would gain one percentage point market share in the global foundry market, moving from 17% to 18%. TSMC is expected to hold steady at 54%.
- TSMC previously announced plans to build a $12B chip plant in Arizona by 2024.
- Samsung plans to invest $116B in advance chip design and production over the next decade.
- TSMC shares are down 2.6% after Intel's incoming CEO effectively dismissed earlier reports the company would lean heavily on outside foundries for production assistance