The new semiconductor manufacturing site in Licking County, which will meet the capacity for Intel’s next-generation products is estimated to generate 7,000 construction jobs along with 3,000 long-term jobs in engineering and manufacturing
Groundbreaking ceremony of Intel’s $20bn semiconductor manufacturing site in Ohio. (Credit: Intel Corporation)
Intel has started construction on the more than $20bn semiconductor manufacturing site dubbed Silicon Heartland in Licking County, Ohio, which will house two advanced chipmaking facilities.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by US President Joe Biden.
President Biden said: “Because I signed into law the CHIPS and Science Act, we’re accelerating the progress. This new law makes historic investments for companies to build advanced manufacturing facilities here in America.”
Intel announced its plans to build two semiconductor fabs at the Licking County site in January 2022. The fabs are expected to manufacture chips by employing the most advanced transistor technologies in the industry, claimed the company at that time.
Intel had previously stated that the total investment in the Licking County semiconductor manufacturing site could increase to as much as $100bn over the next decade.
The company said that the new semiconductor manufacturing site is estimated to create 7,000 construction jobs along with 3,000 long-term jobs in engineering and manufacturing.
Production from the new fabs is expected to begin towards the end of 2025.
Apart from meeting the capacity for its next-generation products, Intel expects the two new chipmaking factories to underpin the demand for its recently created Intel Foundry Services (IFS) business.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said: “Today marks a pivotal moment in the journey to build a more geographically balanced and resilient semiconductor supply chain.
“The establishment of the Silicon Heartland is testament to the power of government incentives to unlock private investment, create thousands of high-paying jobs, and benefit U.S. economic and national security.”
Intel with an objective to build a skilled talent pipeline for the two new chip fabs in Ohio has announced phase 1 of funding for a semiconductor education and research programme.
The semiconductor major said that it is offering $17.7m during the first phase for eight proposals from some of the top institutions and collaborators in Ohio to create semiconductor-focused education and workforce programmes.