TSMC incurred almost $100 million in losses following the Taiwan earthquake

Less than a month ago, on April 3, Taiwan experienced its most powerful and devastating earthquake in at least 25 years.

So far, the tragedy is accountable for:

• 17 dead
• 1,145 injured
• 442 stranded or trapped
• 2 missing

The business was also affected. Although the world’s leading contract chip foundry, TSMC, is located on the opposite side of the island from where the center of the earthquake hit, the Taiwanese company had to evacuate workers.

Now, Taiwan chipmaker TSMC (which supplies chips to Apple) said the earthquake caused estimated losses of T$3 billion ($92.44 million) to the company in the second quarter (via Reuters).

The quake is also expected to bring a 50-basis point drop to TSMC’s second quarter gross margin, it said in a filing to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

There were no power outages or structural damage to TSMC’s most precious tools, and critical equipment including EUV machines were not affected, it added.

The advanced EUV (extreme ultraviolet lithography) machines are essential for producing today’s smallest, most efficient chips, such as those in the iPhone 15 Pro models. We rely on these tools to produce 2nm chips – the next big thing in tech.

2nm chipsets are better than 5nm, or 7nm chips, since the “nm” (nanometer) number refers to the size of components on the chip, such as transistors. One nanometer equals one billionth of a meter, highlighting the incredibly small scale of these components. Smaller nm technology allows for more efficient and powerful chips by packing more transistors into a smaller space.

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Sebastian, a veteran of a tech writer with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, blends his lifelong fascination with writing and technology to provide valuable insights into the realm of mobile devices. Embracing the evolution from PCs to smartphones, he harbors a special appreciation for the Google Pixel line due to their superior camera capabilities. Known for his engaging storytelling style, sprinkled with rich literary and film references, Sebastian critically explores the impact of technology on society, while also perpetually seeking out the next great tech deal, making him a distinct and relatable voice in the tech world.