TSMC ranks 6th for innovation in semiconductor study

2016/05/16

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. of Hsinchu City in northern Taiwan ranks sixth in the latest Top 10 Global Innovators-Semiconductor study released May 11 by international media outlet Thomson Reuters.

The world leader in contract integrated circuit manufacturing services earned the recognition on the back of its 1,424 patent registrations in 2015. This high-tech patent portfolio reflects TSMC’s commitment to R&D and position as a growth leader in the local semiconductor industry.

TSMC accounted for 53.7 percent of the global output for the contract IC manufacturing services sector in 2014, according to U.S.-headquartered technology research firm Gartner Inc. The company also ranked No. 1 for patent power last year by IEEE Spectrum—the flagship magazine of U.S.-based Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

The Thomson Reuters report, which analyzes global patent and scientific literature data, outlining the top companies, research institutes and technology areas producing the highest volume of new innovation, said Asia is the clear frontrunner in semiconductor innovation activity. “Given the volume generated from that continent, it’s evident that the region will be a force to reckon with and the companies on this list are paving the way.”

The result was welcomed by Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center, a research unit under the government-supported nonprofit Industrial Technology Research Institute in Hsinchu County.

According to the center, the output of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry hit a record NT$2.26 trillion (US$70 billion) in 2015, up 2.8 percent from the year before and surpassing the global average of a 1.9 percent decline. This year, the value is forecast to reach NT$2.31 trillion on the back of 2.4 percent annual growth, outperforming global average growth of 1.9 percent.

The semiconductor industry is a key driver of Taiwan’s economic development. Over the years, the government has offered a number of assistance measures such as low-interest loans, personnel training assistance, R&D subsidies and tax breaks. The launch of the Two Trillion and Twin Star program in 2002 by the Ministry of Economic Affairs was central in spurring investment in R&D and sowing the seeds for the rise of the country’s semiconductor industry.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=244684&ctNode=2194&mp=9)