Samsung is reportedly delaying the launch of its Taylor, Texas, fab, citing difficulties in securing customers for its output. Sources told Nikkei Asia that even if the South Korean chipmaker brings in the necessary equipment to produce chips at the new plant, the company cannot do anything with them due to the lack of demand. Aside from that, the original planned process node for the Taylor plant is no longer aligned with current demand, highlighting the rapid pace of semiconductor technology.
据报道，三星正在推迟其德克萨斯州泰勒（Taylor）的发射，并引用很难确保客户的产出。消息人士告诉Nikkei Asia，即使韩国芯片制造商带来了必要的设备来在新工厂生产芯片，由于需求不足，该公司也无法对其做任何事情。除此之外，泰勒工厂的原始计划过程节点不再与当前的需求保持一致，从而突出了半导体技术的快速步伐。
The chip maker started construction on the Taylor fab in 2022, with an initial investment of $17 billion. By 2024, the company decided to double this to $44 billion, with the addition of another advanced fab and expanded R&D operations. This move is supported by a $6.6-billion CHIPS Act subsidy, which was finalized in December last year, despite multiple delays and setbacks.
这家芯片制造商于2022年开始在泰勒工厂（Taylor Fab）上建造，最初投资170亿美元。到2024年，该公司决定将其翻一番，达到440亿美元，并增加了另一个高级工厂和扩大的研发业务。这一举动得到了66亿美元的筹码法案补贴的支持，尽管多次延误和挫折，该动作于去年12月最终确定。
Samsung C&T, the primary contractor for the Taylor fab, states that construction of the site is progressing. Documents from the company show that the site is almost 92% complete as of March 2024. Work on the site was originally scheduled to finish the following month, but regulatory filings indicate that this was moved to October.
三星C＆T是泰勒工厂的主要承包商，他指出该地点的建设正在进行中。该公司的文件显示，截至2024年3月，该网站已完成几乎完成。该网站上的工作原定于下个月完成，但监管文件表明这已移至10月。
Lack of demand drive delay
缺乏需求驱动延迟
No reason was given for the delay, but multiple sources indicate that it occurred due to a lack of demand. It was initially planned for the Taylor Fab to produce chips for the 4nm process node, but this has since been upgraded to 2nm, to compete with TSMC and Intel.
没有理由延迟，但是多个来源表明，由于需求不足而发生。最初，它计划让泰勒工厂为4NM工艺节点生产芯片，但此后已将其升级到2nm，以与TSMC和Intel竞争。
A supply chain executive told the publication that there is little demand for the originally planned 4nm process node at the site."Local demand for chips isn't particularly strong, and the process nodes Samsung planned several years ago no longer meet with current customer needs," the executive said to Nikkei Asia."However, overhauling the plant would be a major and costly undertaking, so the company is adopting a wait-and-see approach for now." Although it has already declared its intention to upgrade the site to manufacture the 2nm process node, that is a resource-intensive task in terms of time, effort, and money.
一位供应链主管告诉出版物，该网站上最初计划的4NM流程节点的需求很少。高管对亚洲尼克基说：“当地对芯片的需求并不是特别强大，几年前三星计划的流程不再满足当前的客户需求。”“但是，对工厂进行大修将是一项重大且昂贵的事业，因此该公司目前正在采取待遇方法。”尽管它已经宣布打算升级该站点以制造2NM流程节点，但就时间，精力和金钱而言，这是一项资源密集的任务。
This is in stark contrast to TSMC, which now manufactures the 4nm process node at Fab 21 in Arizona for U.S.-based customers like Apple, AMD, Broadcom, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. And, despite being priced higher than chips made in other sites outside North America, its capacity is already sold out through 2027.
这与TSMC形成鲜明对比，TSMC现在为亚利桑那州的Fab 21制造了4NM Process Node，供苹果，AMD，Broadcom，Nvidia和Qualcomm等美国客户。而且，尽管价格高于北美以外其他地点的芯片，但其容量已经售罄，直到2027年。
The Taiwanese chip maker currently holds the number one spot in global contract chip manufacturing, with a market share of nearly 68%. On the other hand, Samsung comes in second place with 7.7%, according to Trendforce.
台湾芯片制造商目前占全球合同制造业中的第一名，市场份额近68％。另一方面，三星以7.7％排名第二。
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Setup challenges
设置挑战
Samsung has already been operating a mature-node fab in Austin, Texas, since 1996. Despite that, the Taylor Fab shows the challenges that a chip maker faces when setting up shop at a new location. Aside from needing to build the facility, the company must also build a new supply chain, recruit skilled labor, and find buyers for the fab’s output.
自1996年以来，三星就一直在德克萨斯州奥斯汀运营成熟的节点。除了需要建造该设施外，该公司还必须建立一个新的供应链，招募熟练的劳动力，并找到买家的工厂产量。
However, most importantly, the next phase of setup, named equipping, has astronomical costs attached to it. Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography machines, which print circuit patterns onto silicon wafers, are extremely temperamental and require careful setup. This is in addition to other processes, such as etching, deposition, and many more complex and delicate processes required for Samsung's goal of achieving a 2nm process node fabrication at the site.
但是，最重要的是，下一阶段的设置（称为装备）具有天文成本。极端的紫外线（EUV）光刻机器将电路图案印刷到硅晶片上，非常气质，需要仔细的设置。这是其他过程的补充，例如蚀刻，沉积以及三星在现场实现2NM工艺节点制造所需的许多更复杂，更精致的过程。
The costs associated with the equipping phase are large, with some of TSMC's astronomical $42 billion investment into expansion dedicated solely toward the purpose of equipping several facilities.
与装备阶段相关的成本很大，TSMC的一些天文学投资中有420亿美元投资于专门用于配备多个设施的目的。
Furthermore, Samsung's chip-making arm is reportedly struggling with yield, resulting in the recall of several key personnel from the site. Because of this, there’s only a limited number on site at the Samsung plant as it’s continually refining its advanced process nodes.
此外，据报道，三星的芯片制造部门正在挣扎，导致召回该地点的几名关键人员。因此，三星工厂的现场数量只有有限的数字，因为它不断完善其先进的流程节点。
Global headwinds
全球逆风
The company is facing more than just yield issues, though. Recent geopolitical changes have thrown a wrench in the global expansion of several semiconductor manufacturers, including TSMC and Samsung. Despite resilient growth in AI and data center markets, demand for consumer goods and commodities remains subdued.
不过，该公司面临的不仅仅是产生问题。最近的地缘政治变化为包括TSMC和三星在内的几个半导体制造商的全球扩张造成了扳手。尽管人工智能和数据中心市场有弹性的增长，但对消费品和商品的需求仍然缩减了。
"Although yields have since improved, U.S. restrictions on high-end chip production for China have further weighed on the company, keeping its capacity utilization below the industry average," Trendforce analyst Joanne Chiao said to Nikkei Asia.
Trendforce分析师Joanne Chiao对Nikkei Asia说：“尽管收益率提高了，但美国对中国高端芯片生产的限制进一步使该公司施加压力，使其产能利用率低于行业平均水平。”
President Trump’s announcement of far-reaching tariffs has caused widespread uncertainty, but it has greatly impacted consumer electronics and automobiles — key sectors that order the most chips. The Chinese market is continuously growing despite that, but the ongoing trade war between the East and the West is making it difficult, if not impossible, for Samsung to deliver to customers in the country.
特朗普总统宣布深远的关税已引起了广泛的不确定性，但它极大地影响了消费电子和汽车，这是订购最多筹码的关键部门。尽管如此，中国市场仍在不断增长，但是东方和西方之间的持续贸易战使三星不可能（即使不是不可能）将其交付给该国的客户。
Moreover, Beijing’s realization that its dependence on Western companies for its chip needs has led it to push for semiconductor self-sufficiency. Even though it still lags behind the U.S. in cutting-edge chips, the Chinese government’s policies are resulting in the arrival of several new players that might make it the biggest provider of chip-making capacity by 2030.
此外，北京意识到它对西方公司的芯片需求依赖，这使它推动了半导体的自给自足。即使它仍然落后于美国的尖端筹码，中国政府的政策仍导致了几位新玩家的到来，这可能使其成为2030年到2030年最大的筹码生产能力提供者。
Pushing forward
向前推
Despite these factors, Samsung says that it will proceed with the opening of the Taylor Fab by 2026. Nikkei Asia says that the company did not give a specific timeline for the opening of its factory, nor did it comment about equipment installation or the lack of customers. Nevertheless, it makes sense for the company to have the fab up and running, especially since it needs to have the plant operational to receive its CHIPS Act funds.
尽管有这些因素，三星表示，它将在2026年之前开放泰勒工厂。NikkeiAsia表示，该公司没有为开设其工厂开设的特定时间表，也没有对设备安装或缺乏客户的评论。尽管如此，对于公司来说，将工厂启动并运行是很有意义的，尤其是因为它需要使工厂运营以获得其CHIPS ACT资金。
Even though it might not have clients for the Taylor Fab at the moment, the company can only delay its opening for so long. If it doesn’t push through with operating the fab, it risks falling behind rival TSMC and wasting billions of dollars already invested in the site.
即使目前可能没有泰勒工厂的客户，该公司只能将其开业延迟这么长时间。如果它没有通过操作Fab进行操作，则有可能落后于竞争对手TSMC，并浪费了已经在该网站上投资的数十亿美元。
