Technology giant Intel Corp. said it plans to spend $20 billion on a massive chipmaking hub on the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio, which the company expects to grow to be the world’s biggest silicon-manufacturing site.
The chipmaker on Friday said it will begin construction of two fabrication plants on a 1,000-acre site in New Albany, which it expects to be operational by 2025. CEO Pat Gelsinger said the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company will use the location as a hub to research, develop and manufacture its most advanced chips and will have the option to expand to 2,000 acres and up to eight fabs.
Gelsinger, in an interview Friday on CNBC, said the project is critical to the auto industry.
“When you think of the auto industry, you’re going to see us have more to say with the auto industry leaders as they are looking to us and others to build up and satisfy their demands,” Gelsinger said.
“Because as we’ve seen, the economic impact of not having enough chips to meet the growth of that (demand) has been inflationary and job impacting, so this is critical to support that industry, which is already very present in the heartland, and now the silicon heartland.”
Intel has been investing billions of dollars in automotive technologies over the last few years.
The ongoing global microchip shortage has afflicted industries globally including the auto industry. President Joe Biden’s administration wants Congress to approve $52 billion to expand U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.
Biden and Gelsinger were scheduled to speak together about the Ohio news from the White House later Friday morning.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo applauded the Intel investment.
“This investment is a big win for Intel, for American manufacturing and for American consumers who can look forward to lower prices as we bring home production of the semiconductors that keep our economy running,” Raimondo said in a statement Friday.
Raimondo called for Congress to “move swiftly” to pass the billions in funding for domestic semiconductor production. She also will deliver remarks Friday alongside the president.
“Other countries aren’t waiting,” she said, “and every day we wait, we fall further behind.”