The United States aims to manufacture 20% of cutting-edge chips by 2030
Currently Asia produces 90% of memory chips, 75% of microprocessors, and 80% of silicon wafers
Gina Raimondo, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, confirmed that the U.S. administration will need to make continuous financial investments over time to sustain the leadership in the semiconductor industry. However, she went even further by formalizing the U.S. government’s purpose: to produce 20% of the world’s cutting-edge chips by 2030.
Europe has set the same goal. On February 8, 2022, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, announced that the Old Continent wants to be a key player in this market, and the first step to achieve this, requires manufacturing 20% of the world’s chips by 2030.
The Chips Act Directive mobilizes up to €43 billion in public and private investment to make this possible, and the chip plants that Intel and TSMC have planned on German soil, are two key pieces in this journey.
Despite their similarities, the U.S. has a more solid integrated circuit manufacturing infrastructure than Europe. Additionally, Intel, TSMC, Samsung, Texas Instruments, and GlobalFoundries are some of the companies that are already setting up new cutting-edge plants on U.S. soil. And, as we have just seen, the U.S. government seems determined to invest whatever money is necessary to achieve the leadership position it aspires to.
The United States and Europe
necessarily need to reduce
their dependence on Asia
US & EU Independence
Asia’s dominance over the semiconductor industry is overwhelming. Currently, this continent produces 90% of memory chips, 75% of microprocessors, and 80% of silicon wafers, placing Europe and the U.S. in a position of dependence that could be counterproductive in the medium term.
This is precisely why both have developed a strategy to consolidate their position in a vital industry that will be even more important in the future. In her statement, Gina Raimondo specifies that her country wants to consolidate that figure by focusing on cutting-edge integrated circuits, which have the highest added value.