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It may not quite match the $100 billion investment Intel is making into its American chip manufacturing plants, but Europe will still welcome the company’s €5 billion ($5.7 billion) injection into Ireland.
Much of the investment focuses on new manufacturing equipment to increase output of the Intel’s Xeon 6 and the next generation Intel Xeon built on its Intel 3 node. But Naga Chandrasekaran, General Manager of Intel Foundry (its manufacturing arm) says it’s about more than this.
“By investing in our existing fabs with state-of-the-art technology and installing cutting-edge tools, we are not just increasing output of critical products like Xeon 6 and next gen Intel Xeon processors built on Intel 3,” said Chandrasekaran, “we are ensuring that Ireland remains at the forefront of the world’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystems, while strengthening the region’s role in the global technology landscape.”
Intel says it has already started spending the €5 billion, and that it be spent on people as well as equipment. These include “specialised tradespeople across construction and equipment install, in addition to full-time high-tech jobs at Intel” according to the company’s press release.
“Intel’s latest multibillion-euro investment in Leixlip [Intel’s Ireland manufacturing site] is a powerful vote of confidence in Ireland, our skills base and our position at the heart of Europe’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystem,” said Micheál Martin, head of the Irish government (An Taoiseach).
“At a time of rapid technological change and global competition, this expansion strengthens Ireland’s role in securing resilient semiconductor supply chains and reinforces our ambition to remain a global leader in innovation, productivity and sustainable economic growth.”
To put the €5 billion investment in perspective, Intel’s has spent €30 billion in Ireland since settling on Leixlip as its European manufacturing hub in 1989.
Much of the credit for bringing Intel to Ireland goes to its foreign investment arm IDA Ireland.
“Intel is one of Ireland’s longest standing and most strategically important investors,” said Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland.
“This project demonstrates the value of Ireland’s skilled workforce, innovation ecosystem and stable business environment, while reinforcing Ireland’s leadership in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, supporting both European competitiveness and resilient global supply chains.”
Read more: TechFinitive took a tour of Fab 34, Intel’s Ireland fab, earlier this year
