publication
Reuters reports early TSMC inquiries into rare-earth-free factory motors
Reuters published on 22 October 2026 an original report attributing to three industry executives that TSMC had surveyed suppliers about rare-earth-free motors for factory-automation equipment. TSMC declined to comment. The supplier-inquiry date is not established, discussions are reportedly preliminary, and no qualified motor, broad deployment or changed fab operations are demonstrated. The observed dated event is Reuters publication, not TSMC adoption of equipment.