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why would anyone build chip factories in regions with high seismic activity? that is so fishy the perfect place to build such factories in EASTERN/CENTRAL EUR

why would anyone build chip factories in regions with high seismic activity? that is so fishy the perfect place to build such factories in EASTERN/CENTRAL EUROPE

ksec 5y ago
You do realise a third of NAND used worldwide are built on Japanese soil?
danbolt 5y ago
I mean, Japan’s had a solid history of electronics manufacturing in spite its seismic activity. Doesn’t it seem a bit contrary to suggest the country wouldn’t be a good bet?
manuelabeledo 5y ago
Talent and investment. There’s nothing fishy about that.
- Shadonototra 5y ago
  Talent? that doesn't make any sense, talents can build things everywhere in the world, talents wouldn't choose an island with dense population and high seismic activity Investment? i agree, you need some investment to build things Wich begs the question: why would anyone decide to invest there? if not to waste money, or perhaps get easy government's money? A way to inflate prices perhaps? https://www.fierceelectronics.com/electronics/chip-plants-halt-work-due-to-texas-storm-and-japan-earthquake https://www.fierceelectronics.com/electronics/chip-plants-ha...
  - jvanderbot 5y ago
    Talent ecosystem. Graduates from nearby universities could intern and cut their teeth. Local professors could have coffee/tea chats with everyone, ensuring high throughput of relevant research. The best of the best from nearby related fabs / companies / customers could be poached with high salaries, or less boredom. As pointed out, Japan has lots of fabs and top-rate high tech companies. It matters to have a pipeline of high-skill workers and access to high-tech industries for a business like this.
    - Shadonototra 5y ago
      That's a good point, hopefully i am wrong
      - vlovich123 5y ago
        US has largely given up its fab making talent. We can regain it but it’ll take time.
        coredog64 5y ago
        Hillsboro, OR and Chandler, AZ would like a word.
        vlovich123 5y ago
        Are those manufacturing bleeding edge nodes or mostly component assembly?
  - jrockway 5y ago
    > talents wouldn't choose an island with dense population and high seismic activity Said talent might have been born on that island, have their family on that island, and speak that island's native language which is not used anywhere else in the world.
adventured 5y ago
Japan has a huge number of fabs. It's a problem that can be managed, short of a truly catastrophic seismic event hitting Japan. It's definitely not fishy at all.
- Shadonototra 5y ago
  Using existing infrastructure is a solid point, but gets defeated by history that told us how often they needed to stop production due to such natural events Not wise considering such investment is supposed to counter the current chip shortage Fighting chip shortage with more chip shortage? hmm not wise, nor is a future proof investment..
  - Kye 5y ago
    There isn't really a good place to build a fab when a short disruption can cause huge delays. The next best criteria is a place that's a short plane ride from HQ and politically friendly with people who won't take kindly to the country you're in being bombed by the country next to your HQ.
dirtyid 5y ago
Geopolitical security considerations over geographic security considerations.
- Shadonototra 5y ago
  well japan is next to NK and TW, by 2025+ things will get pretty unstable and wild
  - dirtyid 5y ago
    Things will get wild for TW anyway, and it's better to concentrate semi in East Asia which incentivizes US to commit future security. It's less effective silicon shield than fabs in TW proper, but not as suicidal as setting up plants in Arizona. And at end of the day, JP / US / EU is using as much sticks as carrots to wrestle fabs out of TSMC outside of TW soil. There's too much dependencies for TW to say no.
coredog64 5y ago
ON Semi had/has factories in Malaysia and the Czech Republic in addition to having a bunch in the US. They aren’t cutting edge 3nm fabs but they still crank out critical parts just the same.

why would anyone build chip factories in regions with high seismic activity? that is so fishy the perfect place to build such factories in EASTERN/CENTRAL EUROPE

ksec 5y ago

You do realise a third of NAND used worldwide are built on Japanese soil?

danbolt 5y ago

I mean, Japan’s had a solid history of electronics manufacturing in spite its seismic activity. Doesn’t it seem a bit contrary to suggest the country wouldn’t be a good bet?

manuelabeledo 5y ago

Talent and investment. There’s nothing fishy about that.

Shadonototra 5y ago
Talent? that doesn't make any sense, talents can build things everywhere in the world, talents wouldn't choose an island with dense population and high seismic activity Investment? i agree, you need some investment to build things Wich begs the question: why would anyone decide to invest there? if not to waste money, or perhaps get easy government's money? A way to inflate prices perhaps? https://www.fierceelectronics.com/electronics/chip-plants-halt-work-due-to-texas-storm-and-japan-earthquake https://www.fierceelectronics.com/electronics/chip-plants-ha...
- jvanderbot 5y ago
  Talent ecosystem. Graduates from nearby universities could intern and cut their teeth. Local professors could have coffee/tea chats with everyone, ensuring high throughput of relevant research. The best of the best from nearby related fabs / companies / customers could be poached with high salaries, or less boredom. As pointed out, Japan has lots of fabs and top-rate high tech companies. It matters to have a pipeline of high-skill workers and access to high-tech industries for a business like this.
  - Shadonototra 5y ago
    That's a good point, hopefully i am wrong
    - vlovich123 5y ago
      US has largely given up its fab making talent. We can regain it but it’ll take time.
      - coredog64 5y ago
        Hillsboro, OR and Chandler, AZ would like a word.
        vlovich123 5y ago
        Are those manufacturing bleeding edge nodes or mostly component assembly?
- jrockway 5y ago
  > talents wouldn't choose an island with dense population and high seismic activity Said talent might have been born on that island, have their family on that island, and speak that island's native language which is not used anywhere else in the world.

adventured 5y ago

Japan has a huge number of fabs. It's a problem that can be managed, short of a truly catastrophic seismic event hitting Japan. It's definitely not fishy at all.

Shadonototra 5y ago
Using existing infrastructure is a solid point, but gets defeated by history that told us how often they needed to stop production due to such natural events Not wise considering such investment is supposed to counter the current chip shortage Fighting chip shortage with more chip shortage? hmm not wise, nor is a future proof investment..
- Kye 5y ago
  There isn't really a good place to build a fab when a short disruption can cause huge delays. The next best criteria is a place that's a short plane ride from HQ and politically friendly with people who won't take kindly to the country you're in being bombed by the country next to your HQ.

dirtyid 5y ago

Geopolitical security considerations over geographic security considerations.

Shadonototra 5y ago
well japan is next to NK and TW, by 2025+ things will get pretty unstable and wild
- dirtyid 5y ago
  Things will get wild for TW anyway, and it's better to concentrate semi in East Asia which incentivizes US to commit future security. It's less effective silicon shield than fabs in TW proper, but not as suicidal as setting up plants in Arizona. And at end of the day, JP / US / EU is using as much sticks as carrots to wrestle fabs out of TSMC outside of TW soil. There's too much dependencies for TW to say no.

coredog64 5y ago

ON Semi had/has factories in Malaysia and the Czech Republic in addition to having a bunch in the US. They aren’t cutting edge 3nm fabs but they still crank out critical parts just the same.