TSMC celebrates as Arizona hits key construction milestone on second fab

TSMC celebrated a ‘topping out’ milestone in Arizona on Thursday at the site of its second semiconductor fab in Phoenix. The significant occasion -- worthy of pausing for celebration -- was placing the final roof structure beam. 

TSMC documented the good news on its LinkedIn social media feed. We reckon it is indeed good for the company to have some positivity to share, as its Arizona venture has had more than its fair share of negative headlines.

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Above, you can see some of the images TSMC shared to mark the topping out of its second fab in Phoenix. In one of the pictures, you can see construction workers signing the final steel beam that will form the roof support of this high-tech facility. You can also see what it looks like when the beam is nudged into its final place, with two workers detaching the crane harness.

TSMC execs thanked the construction workers in Arizona for their hard work and craftsmanship. Partners such as Austin Commercial, Baker Concrete Constructors, Buesing Corp, Rolling Plains Construction, and W&W/AFCO Steel were all praised for their contributions.

The long and winding road

The jubilance at this milestone is understandable for TSMC. The road to today has been strewn with bumps and bends. Looking back through various Tom’s Hardware reports, we can see that TSMC’s Arizona plans have faced difficulties thrown up by Covid 19, U.S. building rules and regulations, staff shortages, visa issuance problems, union disputes, late subsidies and incentive payments, and even ‘TSMC Village’ in Arizona being targeted by hoodlums. Hopefully, most of these problems are now safely in the rearview mirror.

Shifting focus back to the positives, TSMC’s development will benefit the U.S. and its populace as the fabs come online. TSMC reckons its facilities will manufacture “the most advanced semiconductor technology in the U.S.” Moreover, the development is expected to sustain 4,500 direct high-tech, high-wage jobs for decades.

In this social media celebration post, TSMC also took the opportunity to remind industry watchers that its first Arizona fab will be ready to begin production in H1 2025.