The chair
of Pegatron (4938.TW), a major electronics manufacturing services
firm, Tung Tzu-hsien, expressed confidence that Taiwan
Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (2330.TW) / (ADR)(TSM) would
not suffer any serious consequences following reports of a
potential corporate information theft, according to Taipei
Times. This reassurance comes after local news outlets alleged
that a past senior vice president, Lo Wei-jen, departed TSMC in
July and subsequently joined Intel in October, having supposedly
taken sensitive information regarding the manufacturer's
cutting-edge 2nm, A16, and A14 production methods.
This
episode underscores the persistent challenge faced by Taiwan’s
electronics industry in retaining its top talent while safeguarding
proprietary knowledge, particularly as competing firms ramp up
their efforts to penetrate the sophisticated chipmaking
sector.
Speaking
to journalists ahead of a Taipei technology event, Mr. Tung stated
that the country’s microchip industry remains “world-class” and
would resist significant harm from “isolated occurrences.” He
elaborated that TSMC’s dominant position is derived from a complex
production framework capable of accommodating the specifications of
numerous customers while upholding high output rates.
He
asserted that any stolen production figures would only be
“minimally useful” to rival companies. This is because other
businesses typically employ distinct machinery and factory layouts,
rendering precise duplication “virtually unachievable.” He further
noted that TSMC has maintained its lead in advanced fabrication
despite the movement of engineers to support mainland China’s chip
supply network. Taiwan High Prosecutors’ Office’s Intellectual
Property Branch confirmed on November 18 that it has opened an
enquiry into Mr. Lo’s actions, with TSMC reportedly gathering
evidence for potential legal proceedings.
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