Exciting developments are unfolding at TSMC’s Arizona facility as it begins to fulfill substantial orders for high-profile clients like AMD, NVIDIA, and Apple. The Taiwanese semiconductor powerhouse has begun production at its first US facility, marking a significant milestone for the company and a crucial advantage for American businesses that have traditionally relied on overseas semiconductor supplies.
Thanks to a report by analyst Tim Culpan, we now know that AMD’s latest Ryzen 9000 series CPUs, dubbed “Granite Ridge,” are in production at this state-of-the-art Arizona plant. This underscores a strategic shift for AMD, which has typically focused its chip manufacturing in Taiwan—a move that suggests long-term sustainability in chip procurement closer to home.
The facility has also started producing Apple’s S9 SoC, integral to the latest Apple Watch Series 9, further reinforcing TSMC’s expanding footprint in the US. This growing partnership with Apple highlights the tech giant’s confidence in TSMC’s capabilities, aligning with TSMC’s ambitious US expansion plans.
TSMC Arizona Phase 1A (P1A) is currently operational, boasting a monthly output of 10,000 wafers for clients including NVIDIA, AMD, and Apple. However, Phase 1B is encountering some challenges due to an equipment shortage, pushing its commencement into the first quarter of 2025. Despite these hurdles, the project remains on track without major delays.
Moving forward, TSMC’s presence in the US is likely to be transformative, potentially reshaping the landscape of the American semiconductor industry. The influence of the previous Trump administration played a part in these developments, with TSMC having postponed a celebratory event for the Arizona facility to coincide with the inauguration of President Trump. Despite some past tensions, TSMC remains committed to fostering a robust partnership with the US, setting the stage for a dynamic future in semiconductor production.
