TSMC manufactures many of the world’s most advanced computer chips for other brands.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company was founded in 1987 by Morris Chang in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Its important business model was to operate as a dedicated semiconductor foundry, producing chips designed by customers rather than selling mainly its own branded processors.
That separation enabled companies such as Apple, Nvidia, and AMD to design chips without building and operating their own leading-edge factories. TSMC invests heavily in fabrication plants, process technology, and packaging, all of which require enormous capital and specialized expertise.
TSMC is often confused with ASML, a Dutch company that makes lithography machines used in chip production. ASML supplies essential equipment; TSMC uses equipment from suppliers like ASML to manufacture semiconductors. TSMC’s market importance reflects its manufacturing role in the global technology supply chain.