TSMC's Dresden fab reaches topping-out milestone, stays on schedule

A traditional German Richtfest was held on Sept. 14 at the Dresden location of the semiconductor fab being built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). Christian Koitzsch, who leads the European Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. joint venture with Bosch, Infineon and NXP, reported that roughly 2,000 staff from 106 countries are working around the clock and that the project remains on schedule and on budget. The ceremony featured a carpenter’s toast with water, reflecting both German customs and Taiwanese cultural symbolism.

Saxony’s premier Michael Kretschmer highlighted the cooperation between TSMC, local authorities and the state government, while Dresden mayor Dirk Hilbert projected an influx of 15,000-20,000 workers by 2030, including about 600 TSMC engineers. The fab’s next milestone will be the installation of its first production equipment in late 2027, pending completion of clean-room interiors and utility installations.