TSMC Dresden fab on track for 2027 production

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The TSMC-led European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (ESMC) fab in Dresden remains on track to begin production in 2027, while more than 20 Taiwanese semiconductor supply-chain companies have established operations in the surrounding region as the chipmaker's expansion draws its supply chain deeper into Europe.

Officials from Saxony provided an update on the project Wednesday (Sept. 2) at SEMICON 2026, where the German Trade Office Taipei and Silicon Saxony jointly organized the German Pavilion. Saxony has also established a dedicated "Taiwan Desk" to help Taiwanese companies set up local operations.

 

ESMC Construction Remains on Schedule

Dirk Panter, Saxony's state minister for economic affairs, labor, energy and climate action, said construction of the Dresden fab is proceeding according to schedule despite delays caused by severe winter weather during the early stages of the project. The construction team has since made up the lost time, keeping the project aligned with its target of starting production in 2027.

ESMC is led by TSMC (台積電) in partnership with Bosch, Infineon and NXP. Panter said the project would strengthen Europe's semiconductor resilience and could pave the way for broader cooperation around semiconductor manufacturing in the region. He also described Saxony as the world's fifth-largest semiconductor cluster, while acknowledging that the region still has much to learn from Taiwan's semiconductor ecosystem.
 

More Than 20 Taiwan Suppliers Move Into Dresden

Thomas Horn, managing director of Saxony Trade & Invest, said more than 20 Taiwanese companies have established operations in and around Dresden. He stated that companies moving into the region include Taiwanese semiconductor suppliers such as Topco Scientific (崇越), Marketech International (帆宣) and Taiwan Puritic Corp. (和淞科技, TPC).

Horn said localization is unfolding in stages. Engineering contractors and equipment suppliers typically arrive first during fab construction, followed by process and service providers as production approaches.

For Taiwanese suppliers, the opportunity extends beyond TSMC. Dresden is close to industrial centers including Chemnitz and Leipzig, giving suppliers access to a broader European customer base in automotive and industrial semiconductors. Panter said the region hopes to deepen cooperation with Taiwan in advanced packaging, chiplets and IC design as it builds out a more complete semiconductor ecosystem.