Intel Pumps $2.7B Into Israeli Fab
Intel's fabrication facility at Kiryat Gat is to become the company's second 22nm shop.
The investment, which will make the plant in Israel's Kiryat Gat the second of Intel's properties to be fully ready for 22nm production, will boost the facility's workforce by an estimated 1,000 over the next year. More importantly, however, it will also significantly enhance Intel's 22nm production volumes.
Work on upgrading the facility to the smaller process size is due to start immediately. Maxine Fassberg, general manager of Intel's Israeli operations, stated during a press conference that 'we are already in preparation for hiring, [and] we are scheduled to start production in December.'
The investment value is said to include a grant from the Israeli government of £131 million. This may be a comparative drop in the ocean, but it's still a welcoming hand from the country's government, and a sign that it clearly approves of Intel's move, despite Fassberg confirming that the company has no immediate plans to build additional facilities in Israel.
With 22nm production scheduled to start in December 2011, we could start seeing Intel's first 22nm chips in early 2012.
Are you pleased to see Intel continuing to upgrade its facilities to 22nm, or surprised that the Kiryat Gat fab is only the second of the company's properties to receive such an upgrade? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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Discuss in the forums ReplyGovernment grants, skilled workforce. center of the known universe ie not far from turkey the gateway between east and west.
cheaper than us/uk etc?
Linky, Intel Israel
The Israeli Intel facilities were the ones that developped the "Centrino", "core" and "Sandy Bridge" brand of processors.
Thus saving Intel from the disaster that was netburst-architecture.
And they could produce the "core" processors that used very little power because they are one of Intels premium fabs for small transistor nodes.
An abundance of sand?
If they need more sand then move it to Libya or Algeria. In 5 years they will import sand to Sahara. :evilgrin:
i thought the same thing haha.
Not really known for it's sandy beaches Ireland though is it? It's on par with the UK for it's sunny climate. (I knew we should have all voted for the Monster Raving Looney Party, who wanted to tow the British Isles down to the med for a better summer. I'm sure Ireland would have come along for the ride)
Kimbie
BTW, although the X86 chips are made here, we still pay nearly TWICE the price per CPU compared to the US....
Also, free Tibet :p
This isn't politics, this is tech.
FYI Israel universities are very good, and without the Israeli R&D centre you'd never have Pentium M CPUs, which means you'll also never have Core-series either. We'd be stuck using P4s. Political aspects aside, it does actually makes sense as Intel has been investing in Israel for many years with great results. Xir knows it!
Also, where else could you go to work in the tech industry packing a Glock?
"An abundance of sand" Hmmm, that explains "Sandy Bridge" *Badum-Tush!!!*
How about here
What do I win? :D
It is a disgrace that Intel installed itself there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Faluja
You better be trolling!
More here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/07/08/BU162036.DTL
From that perspective, putting it anywhere in Israel is pretty much a disgrace. If you don't like Israel, don't buy products made there, simple as that.