Apple chip supplier TSMC has reportedly resumed most of its chip production following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that hit Taiwan’s eastern coast on Wednesday.
Taiwan was hit by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in the early hours of the morning, resulting in significant damage and reportedly causing at least 10 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries in the country.
Bloomberg reports that more than 80% of TSMC’s chip production lines are back in operation as of Thursday. TSMC told the publication that there has been no damage to its most critical equipment. Meanwhile, Taiwanese research firm TrendForce said that TSMC’s 3nm, 4nm, and 5nm chip factories have been able to resume more than 90% of their operations within hours after the earthquake. This suggests that Apple chip production has not been and will not be significantly impacted.
TSMC fabricates several high-end chips for Apple, including the 3nm A17 Pro for use in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Initial reports said the company’s N3 fab in Tainan suffered structural damage, including broken beams and columns, leading to a halt in production. EUV machines, essential for manufacturing processes below 7nm, have stopped, and research and development labs have been subject to significant damage, such as cracked walls. The firm’s Hsinchu fab location reported broken pipelines and extensive damage to wafers, resulting in a halt in production.
TSMC has traditionally placed an emphasis on disaster preparedness following a major 1999 earthquake. The company has since implemented several measures, including post-earthquake inspections, the installation of dampers and shock absorbers, and the integration of equipment vibration reduction technologies.
