Intel Shelves Cutting-Edge Arizona Chip Factory

[HardOCP News]

According to Reuters, Intel has put off opening Fab 42 indefinitely. The company says this is all about "better capital utilization."

The "Fab 42" facility built in Chandler, Arizona, originally slated as a $5 billion project that in late 2013 would start producing Intel's most advanced chips, will remain closed for the foreseeable future while other factories at the same site are upgraded, said Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy.

 

[plupien79]

Bleck... That Sucks.
Mostly because it'd be aweful nice to have some of this stuff made in this country.

Maybe have some of those Job Creators actually create good jobs in THIS country.

 

[Spazturtle]

Intel seams to be giving up making high performing CPUs and focusing on low energy CPUs.

 

[maxius]

Intel seams to be giving up making high performing CPUs and focusing on low energy CPUs.

news flash every chip maker is focusing more on mobile and low energy with good enough performance as the traditional desktop market is in decline.

 

[maxius]

Bleck... That Sucks.
Mostly because it'd be aweful nice to have some of this stuff made in this country.

Maybe have some of those Job Creators actually create good jobs in THIS country.

last i checked most of intels fabs are in this country.

 

[kbrickley]

Intel seams to be giving up making high performing CPUs and focusing on low energy CPUs

Only because that is what the market seems to want due to their focus on mobility ... if the market shifts back to performance over cost/efficiency then they will shift with it

Bleck... That Sucks.
Mostly because it'd be aweful nice to have some of this stuff made in this country.

Maybe have some of those Job Creators actually create good jobs in THIS country.

Almost all of Intel's Fab activity remains in the USA ... due to the cost of a FAB, the need for a highly trained workforce, access to large amounts of water, and insurance requirements to protect the facility and their investment it is unlikely that Intel will ever move their Fabs outside the USA in any high volume capacity

 

[hpglow]

I've worked on intel fab constructon before and its typically a zoo. Their rules make it almost impossible to get work done and the schedule is never realistic. They often insist on being their own general contractor even though they know almost nothing about the work being done. That being said its still good money and I would do it again. I bet at the end of the day they were on track to double their budget or too many people were getting hurt (which intel does not tolerate).

 

[spintroniX]

Only because that is what the market seems to want due to their focus on mobility ... if the market shifts back to performance over cost/efficiency then they will shift with it



Almost all of Intel's Fab activity remains in the USA ... due to the cost of a FAB, the need for a highly trained workforce, access to large amounts of water, and insurance requirements to protect the facility and their investment it is unlikely that Intel will ever move their Fabs outside the USA in any high volume capacity

We have fabs in Ireland and Israel - both are slated to get next gen tech and Israel is currently producing 22nm chips

Stateside we have the Arizona campus (22 nm), New Mexico campus (32, 45nm) and Oregon (tech dev / low volume current / next gen tech)

 

[spintroniX]

oh, and we also have a fab in china that produces 90/65nm products

 

[Wierdo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_manufacturing_sites

 

[spintroniX]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_manufacturing_sites

The Hudson site is getting shut down and we just had layoffs at F11x

 

[cyclone3d]

I really don't blame them at all for putting the Arizona fab on hold indefinitely.

The health insurance prices there are stupid high because of all the ILLEGALS that get "free" healthcare which the taxpayers end up having to foot.

The government need to get its head out of its rear and close the borders already.

 

[octoberasian]

oh, and we also have a fab in china that produces 90/65nm products

I thought those gone the way of the dodo birds. What's still produced at the 90/65nm process still? Old Prescott, Conroe, and Pentium 1 processors?

 

[Jorona]

I thought those gone the way of the dodo birds. What's still produced at the 90/65nm process still? Old Prescott, Conroe, and Pentium 1 processors?

Chipsets, Networking, etc etc etc. Not really cpus.

 

[ClariorHincHonos]

I really don't blame them at all for putting the Arizona fab on hold indefinitely.

The health insurance prices there are stupid high because of all the ILLEGALS that get "free" healthcare which the taxpayers end up having to foot.

The government need to get its head out of its rear and close the borders already.

The just put the purchase of the tools on hold - the fab is going to be built and ready for tools though. They also still hired over 1000 people. They just put the money into a retro-fit, and when the time comes will expand into the new space.

I happen to live about 5 miles from the plant.

 

[octoberasian]

Chipsets, Networking, etc etc etc. Not really cpus.

For the shift towards more power-efficient devices, why haven't those moved to smaller processes? Or, the return on investment isn't there to do so?

 

[spintroniX]

For the shift towards more power-efficient devices, why haven't those moved to smaller processes? Or, the return on investment isn't there to do so?

There are computer chips in virtually everything around you... cars... billboards, cash registers, etc. Everywhere there is silicon, we are there.

Most customers don't care about or need the latest process. It's a big benefit for us, because the development cost of older processes has already been recouped.

 

[Sparky]

Maybe its the cow manure smell that keeps it from opening?
It really does smell out there.
I have worked at all the sites in AZ as a contractor.

 

[Cheetoz]

The just put the purchase of the tools on hold - the fab is going to be built and ready for tools though. They also still hired over 1000 people. They just put the money into a retro-fit, and when the time comes will expand into the new space.

I happen to live about 5 miles from the plant.

So are all the cars on the dirt parking lot across the building from the construction workers?

 

[ClariorHincHonos]

So are all the cars on the dirt parking lot across the building from the construction workers?

I've wondered this myself - I would say probably so. Or it's temp parking for Intel workers. One of the two.

 

[Unknown-One]

There are computer chips in virtually everything around you... cars... billboards, cash registers, etc. Everywhere there is silicon, we are there

I assume you work for Foxconn. They're the only company I've encountered that truly has components in EVERYTHING.

 

[Trimlock]

For the shift towards more power-efficient devices, why haven't those moved to smaller processes? Or, the return on investment isn't there to do so?

These are chips that are sub 5 watts already. Moving them to a difference process will kick up needless r&d.