A magnitude 6.4 earthquake that occurred on the 21st in Tainan City, SuNam, may exacerbate the supply shortage of TV panels in the first quarter of this year.
According to market research firm TrendForce, the earthquake caused workers to evacuate and equipment operations to be temporarily halted at the Tainan fabs of Taiwan's largest foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) corporation TSMC and Taiwan's second-largest foundry corporation UMC.
TrendForce reported that while there was no significant damage from the earthquake, some damage was confirmed on the furnace equipment at the Tainan fabs. As a result, there are concerns that the TV panel supply may worsen in the first quarter.
TrendForce noted, "The TV panel supply, which is already lacking in the first quarter, may become even more difficult due to this earthquake, and the challenges facing the display industry may intensify."
Factory operations that were temporarily halted for structural inspections after the earthquake were gradually resumed from that morning after confirming safety. TSMC stated, "Currently, water and power supplies and workplace safety systems are functioning normally, and all factories are operating," adding that "detailed inspections and impact assessments are ongoing."
Earlier, after the earthquake struck Tainan City in the early morning, TSMC evacuated factory workers in the central and southern regions of Taiwan as a precaution. According to Taiwan's fire authorities, 27 people were injured in the earthquake and are receiving treatment at hospitals.