Bericht van TSMC:
TSMC increasingly nervous about customer demand -sources
Instruction to delay is aimed at controlling costs -sources
Suppliers currently expect delay to be short-term -sources
By Sam Nussey, Fanny Potkin and Toby Sterling
TOKYO/SINGAPORE/AMSTERDAM, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Taiwan's TSMC <2330.TW> has told its major suppliers to delay the delivery of high-end chipmaking equipment, as the world's top contract chipmaker grows increasingly nervous about customer demand, two sources familiar with the matter said.
The instruction by TSMC, which is grappling with delays at its $40 billion chip factory in Arizona, is aimed at controlling costs and reflects the company's growing caution about the outlook for demand, the sources said.
Suppliers currently expect the delay to be short-term, the sources said, declining to be named as the information is not public.
TSMC said it does not comment on "market rumour".
The company referred Reuters to comments by CEO C.C. Wei in July that weaker economic conditions, slower recovery in China and softer end-market demand is making customers more cautious and more mindful of controlling inventory.
Companies affected by the instruction to delay include Dutch firm ASML , which makes lithography equipment essential for high-end chipmaking, the sources said.
In an interview with Reuters last week, ASML CEO Peter Wennink said some orders for its high-end tools have been pushed back, without naming customers, and that he expected it would be a "short-term management" issue.
ASML is operating at maximum capacity and overall sales are forecast to grow 30% this year.