TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL, 東京威力科創) reaffirmed its commitment to Taiwan's semiconductor industry on Wednesday (Sept. 2), calling the island an indispensable global hub for chipmaking. Seiji Nakama (仲間誠二), president of TEL Taiwan, said the company plans to continue strengthening its local research and development and service capabilities.
During SEMICON 2026, Nakama highlighted Taiwan's large semiconductor market and its central role in the global industry. He said TEL is focused on listening closely to Taiwanese customers, aligning its technology with their needs and adapting equipment to help them meet production goals.
TEL has established multiple service locations and R&D centers across Taiwan to stay close to customers and provide immediate on-site support, a strategy Nakama described as the company's "Next-door Strategy." He said the approach allows TEL to respond quickly to customer needs and help improve productivity. Nakama also noted that TEL remains positive about its investment outlook in Taiwan and will continue evaluating future investments based on customer demand and market conditions.
Nakama said the advanced packaging sector is expanding "far faster than front-end processes" as the complexity of AI computing drives demand for heterogeneous integration technologies. In response, TEL has expanded its advanced packaging portfolio beyond etching, cleaning, bevel and laser technologies to include 3D integrated circuit (3DIC) equipment, such as wafer-to-wafer bonders, debonders and laser-processing systems. The company expects the advanced packaging market to see strong growth as AI systems require increasingly complex chip integration.
Looking ahead, Nakama identified AI-powered smart manufacturing, silicon photonics and AI-driven robotics as emerging areas with strong growth potential. He said these technologies represent some of the next generation of opportunities created by the continued expansion of AI.