The groundbreaking of a $20 billion Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility project took place recently in Licking County, central Ohio. In an effort to jumpstart semiconductor production in the U.S, Intel has begun developing fabrication plants on its 1000-acre site. However, the chip maker will also use this project site, dubbed Silicon Heartland as a research and development center.Â
The Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility project marks a new start in domestic chip production, a motion championed by U.S President, Biden. At the ceremony, Biden said the project would bring back manufacturing jobs that were lost decades ago to locations abroad. He also discussed the importance of the CHIPS and Science Act, which provides a $52.7 billion incentive for such projects.
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Timeline and development plans for the Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility project
Intel will produce its most cutting-edge computer chips at Silicon Heartland and also hire at least 3,000 professionals. But apart from professional hires, Intel will also require 7,000 skilled and union laborers for the Intel semiconductor project. According to the developer, at least two fabrication facilities will be built on the site. The developers expect the project to be completed and fully functional by 2025
Furthermore, the construction area of Intel’s semiconductor manufacturing facility will have a length equivalent to that of 10 football fields. Construction work was started 60 feet below surface level in order to support four-floor levels. This also includes the floor reserved as the clean room, where the wafers are converted to millions of chips daily.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, said the Intel semiconductor project would help bring some packaging, assembly, and testing back to the U.S. Therefore he said the CHIPS for America Act needed to be funded to achieve this goal. Gelsinger also pointed out that the sand used in making semiconductors comes from the U.S. South. For this reason, it wasn’t inconceivable for the chip production process to happen domestically from start to finish.
Intel considered 38 different sites from major states before deciding on Silicon Heartland for the Intel semiconductor project. According to Gelsinger, Ohio seemed like the best fit, due to its large expanse of available land. He mentioned that the company did not want to displace the residents of any region. As a result, the company picked Ohio over the other locations that provided larger incentives.
