After nearly 30 years of operating in Camas as WaferTech, the TSMC chipmaker has officially taken a new name — TSMC Washington.
For the entirety of its history in Camas, the chipmaking operation was part of TSMC but known as WaferTech. It became a wholly owned subsidiary in 2010.
TSMC is a global chip manufacturing giant, holding more than 56 percent of the global semiconductor foundry market, according to the website Statista.
The company said in a recent statement the name change reflected “TSMC’s deep-rooted connection with its subsidiaries.”
WaferTech opened in Camas in 1996, shortly after then-Gov. Mike Lowry signed into law a sales and use tax exemption and deferral for manufacturing machinery and equipment, pollution-control equipment, and high-technology research and development.
TSMC executives said in a statement last year it made sense for the Taiwanese company to set up an operation in the Portland-metro area in the ’90s. The region’s steady supply of water and green power was an advantage, they said.
The company is also working to create a unified corporate identity as part of its global expansion.
“In embracing the identity of TSMC Washington, we signify not just a name change but a powerful affirmation of our enduring commitment to innovation and collaboration,” said Y.P. Chin, senior vice president of operations and overseas operations office at TSMC.
“This transition underscores the integral role TSMC Washington plays within our family, contributing to the ongoing success and innovation that defines TSMC’s legacy in the semiconductor industry,” Chin added.
The company said the name change will leverage TSMC’s reputation to amplify the subsidiary’s presence in business engagements, strengthen partnerships and solidify its status as a destination for top talent in the United States semiconductor industry.
