1、Photo by Angel Gomez Herreros Kearney,MadridFront-End Semiconductor Manufacturing Attractiveness IndexFurthermore,their governments providein varying ways and to varying degreesthe basic supports required for the sustenance of this unique industry,including direct financial co-investment,indirect su

2、bsidies and incentives,and mechanisms for the protection of sensitive intellectual property.As global demand for semiconductors continues to boom,the firms that make them(commercial foundries,integrated device manufacturers,or IDMs,often referred to simply as“semiconductor companies”in this report)h

3、ave already embarked on bold and ambitious initiatives to expand their production networksand much of this expansion remains concentrated among geographies with established front-end capabilities.Samsung has invested$10 billion in a cutting-edge facility in Austin,Texas,while TSMC has allocated$40 b

4、illion for two advanced fabs in Arizona.More recently still,South Korea announced plans to build the largest semiconductor hub in the world near Seoul,pledging approximately$470 billion in a publicprivate partnership with Samsung and SK Hynix.However,geopolitical tensions and the rapidly evolving re

5、lationship between American and Chinese economies have catalyzed a comprehensive reevaluation of the semiconductor industrys operational strategies.In response to these transformative forces,global semiconductor companies are rethinking their current footprints,and increasingly emphasizing the impor

6、tance of global operational diversification.They are increasingly open to considering new markets for front-end production.Given the enormous levels of investment involved,this is a decision with major ramifications for producers and for national governments.To aid decision-makers in these assessmen