Samsung denies its Texas chipmaking plant is being delayed beyond 2026

Promoting domestic manufacturing has become a major area of focus for the current US administration, and the basis for the tariff war that threatens to upset global supply chains. Samsung has already invested billions in developing a new advanced chipmaking plant in Taylor, Texas. It has also received billions in incentives from the US government to establish the facility.

Samsung had previously said that this new facility would be fully operational by 2026. Recent reports out of South Korea had suggested that the plant could be delayed beyond 2026 as Samsung's semiconductor division grapples with mounting challenges.

Following reports of a delay in Samsung's plan, the company confirmed in a statement to KXAN that “We still maintain the end of 2026 as our operational target.” The city of Taylor has also confirmed that Samsung is meeting all of its obligations under the development incentive framework.

Samsung's foundry division is expected to make advanced 3nm and 2nm chips at its Taylor, Texas plant. The company had previously said that it expects to begin mass production of chips at the facility by the end of 2026.

It's in a race against time with TSMC which has also poured billions into new manufacturing facilities in the US located in Arizona. TSMC is already making 4nm chips there and is projected to begin 3nm and 2nm production by the end of 2025.

By bringing advanced chip production on shore, Samsung would be able to better service chip design companies like NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and others, who may be exposed to price shocks due to semiconductor-specific tariffs and the global base rate tariff. It would also expand production capacity to meet rising demand for cutting-edge chips.