Setback undermines a key element of the Democratic president’s economic agenda
Joe Biden’s plans to boost the US microchip industry have been dealt a setback after the opening of a key factory in Arizona was delayed until at least 2025.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which has been building the plant since 2021, said the start of production would be pushed back from 2024 to 2025.
TSMC chairman Dr Mark Liu blamed the delay on a shortage of qualified US workers, saying there was “an insufficient amount of skilled workers with the specialised expertise required for equipment installation in a semiconductor-grade facility.”
The year-long delay means the new microchip plant will not open until after next year’s US presidential election, potentially undermining part of the Democrat incumbent’s economic record.