SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 24, 2005 – Intel Corporation today
announced plans to invest $650 million in the company’s existing
manufacturing site in New Mexico. The investment will be used to
increase the capacity of the 300mm wafer fabrication facilities in Rio
Rancho, N.M., called Fab 11X.
“Today’s announcement signals another important addition to one of
Intel’s pre-eminent U.S. manufacturing sites, and better positions us
to meet customer requirements,” said Intel President and CEO Paul
Otellini. “Additional 300mm wafer manufacturing capability helps
improve the overall cost-effectiveness of our worldwide manufacturing
network. Investing in an existing manufacturing site allows us to take
advantage of our highly skilled workforce in New Mexico.”
Construction and new tool installations are scheduled to continue
through 2006, with production operations set to begin through the new
expansion in early 2007. This investment in New Mexico will result in
the creation of more than 300 new manufacturing jobs.
This investment is part of Intel’s strategic goal to increase
manufacturing on 300mm wafers that use 90nm, 65nm and future process
technologies. Intel has several fabs manufacturing with 300mm wafers
today. These facilities are Fab 11X in New Mexico, D1D and D1C in
Oregon and Fab 24 in Ireland.
Manufacturing with 300mm wafers (about 12 inches in diameter)
dramatically increases the ability to produce semiconductors at a lower
cost compared with more widely used 200mm (eight-inch) wafers. The
total silicon surface area of a 300mm wafer is 225 percent, or more
than twice that of a 200mm wafer, and the number of printed die
(individual computer chips) is increased to 240 percent. The bigger
wafers lower the production cost per chip while diminishing overall use
of resources.
“With each subsequent technology process, Intel improves its designs
to further reduce impacts to the environment,” said Tim Hendry, Intel
Technology and Manufacturing vice president and Fab 11X factory
manager. “Manufacturing with 300mm wafers uses 40 percent less energy
and water per chip.”
News Source: Intel Press Release
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