Saxony relies on "radiance" through the establishment of TSMC

After talks with companies in Taiwan, Economics Minister Dirk Panter is hoping for further investment in the semiconductor industry in Saxony. It was a good and important trip, the SPD politician told the German Press Agency. "We can learn a lot from Taiwan, Taiwan is the world center of the semiconductor industry." Last week, the minister traveled to Taiwan to visit the semiconductor trade fair Semicon and companies such as Foxcon.

The company Topco Scientific Co. - a supplier to TSMC - is planning to locate in Saxony. The company plans to open its first European branch in Dresden in mid-2026 to support ESMC and other customers. There have also been talks with other companies, according to Panter. However, details could not be provided at present.

100,000 employees in Silicon Saxony by the end of the decade?

According to Panter, the establishment of the Taiwanese chip giant TSMC, which is building a factory for the production of chips for the automotive industry in Dresden, will have a "special radiance" that will further advance the Silicon Saxony cluster. "We are hoping for even more investment". The basis is good, said the minister. Companies such as Infineon and Globalfoundries are also currently investing heavily.

Silicon Saxony is reportedly Europe's largest microelectronics location and consists of around 3,600 companies with around 83,000 employees. The cluster - currently the fifth largest in the world, according to Panter - is concentrated in Dresden, but also in Chemnitz and other regions. Panter expects that there will be around 100,000 employees in the semiconductor industry in Saxony by the end of the decade.

Sales market in Taiwan has gained in importance

The Managing Director of the Saxony Economic Development Corporation (WFS), Thomas Horn, was also present in Taiwan. In the German pavilion at Semicon, 18 companies exhibited products from the fields of manufacturing, packaging, sustainability and precision sensor technology - including many from Saxony. Demand at the stand was high. TSMC's high profile made many people aware of Saxony as a location. "That plays into our hands when we present the location."

Horn spoke of a "double win-win situation". It is not just about attracting new companies to Saxony, but also about enabling local companies to grow. According to Horn, the effects are already noticeable. For example, the industrial gases manufacturer Air Liquide wants to build a new production facility to supply the semiconductor industry. The company already operates a site in Ottendorf-Okrilla. In addition, Saxon companies are also to be paved the way to Taiwan.

The WFS pointed out that the Taiwan sales market has become increasingly important for Saxony over the past 20 years. According to the data, the Free State exported goods worth almost 1.6 billion euros to Taiwan in 2024. In 2005, the figure was around 202.8 million euros. Imports and exports focus primarily on products in the electrical engineering, automotive and mechanical engineering sectors. Taiwan ranks ninth among the Free State's export partners.