Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) yesterday said investors should maintain confidence in Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, as it plays a critical role in the global supply chain and there is no imminent drop in demand.
An internal message sent recently to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) employees was simply a reminder for them to take leave after the work pressure over the past three years and was not an indicator of weakness in the local industry, Wang said.
“TSMC is still sitting on large orders, while its capacity utilization is currently under 100 percent,” Wang said, adding that she had been in contact with the company. “The chipmaker was only reminding its employees to take their leave at a time when some of its equipment is being maintained.”
Photo: Liao Chen-hui, Taipei Times
The internal video message that was sent on Monday afternoon by TSMC chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家) gave rise to concerns that the world’s largest chipmaker had been hit by weakening global semiconductor demand, analysts said.
The message also raised the specter of furloughs in Taiwan’s manufacturing sector if the global economy continued to weaken, they said.
However, Wang said there was no need for such fears, and she urged investors to remain upbeat about the outlook for Taiwan’s semiconductor industry in particular.
“Investors should have faith in Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, as Taiwanese suppliers play a critical role in the global supply chain and are irreplaceable” she said.
Meanwhile, flat-panel maker Innolux Corp (群創) yesterday said it is also encouraging its employees to take annual leave, in the interest of their physical and mental health.
In addition, other major screen suppliers have reduced production to prevent a supply glut amid falling demand, it said.
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