Chip manufacturing equipment makes up two-thirds of wafer cost, and ASML’s tools are by far the most expensive ones in the fab.
It looks like chipmakers such as Intel and TSMC will have to pay 20 percent more for the gear of ASML, ASM and other non-US semiconductor equipment manufacturers – if they want to install it in a US fab, that is. Although various semiconductors are exempt from the 20 percent tariff on EU products announced by the Trump administration last week, semiconductor manufacturing equipment isn’t mentioned on a list of exemptions.
The US has already implemented a baseline 10 percent tariff on nearly all products. Dozens of countries face additional tariffs based on their trade balance with the US. These come into effect on 9 April and stack on top of existing product-specific tariffs. Generally speaking, US companies will have to start paying a ‘border tax’ of at least 20 percent on EU goods.
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