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![\"Floodwater](\"https:\/\/assets.bwbx.io\/images\/users\/iqjWHBFdfxIU\/i82Z3YGtIs1g\/v1\/-1x-1.webp\")
<\/div>\nFloodwater and damage in\u00a0North Carolina<\/p>\n
Photographer: Melissa Sue Gerrits\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n By\u00a0Jane Lanhee Lee,\u00a0Yoolim Lee,\u00a0and\u00a0Christina Kyriasoglou Global semiconductor makers are monitoring supplies of high-purity quartz, a material critical to the industry, after Hurricane Helene halted production at two North Carolina mines that produce most of the world\u2019s supply.<\/p>\n Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 the world\u2019s largest chipmaker \u2014 and Germany\u2019s\u00a0Infineon Technologies AG<\/a>\u00a0said in statements they were keeping tabs on the situation but didn\u2019t anticipate any significant impact to their operations. South Korea\u2019s\u00a0Samsung Electronics Co.<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0SK Hynix Inc.<\/a>\u00a0said they also don\u2019t expect repercussions. TSMC supplier\u00a0Topco Scientific Co.<\/a>, which processes quartz, said it is reviewing its inventory and is in close touch with all suppliers.<\/p>\n The impact on the global chipmaking sector remains unclear, given semiconductor firms are adept at stockpiling essential components and the operations in North Carolina are expected to eventually resume.\u00a0GlobalWafers Co.<\/a>, one of the world\u2019s biggest suppliers of silicon to the likes of TSMC, on Thursday became the latest to play down immediate supply concerns.<\/p>\n \u201cOur crucible suppliers have sufficient inventory to meet our needs,\u201d the Taiwanese company said in a statement. \u201cThe supply chain is resilient enough to manage a temporary disruption in upstream material. Adequate inventories are maintained throughout, and we do not anticipate any impact on our ability to fulfill committed orders.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOctober 2, 2024 at 8:02 AM EDT<\/p>\n