July 25, 2005 — Intel Corp. announced plans to build a new 300mm wafer fabrication facility at its site in Chandler, Ariz. The new factory, designated Fab 32, will begin production of microprocessors in the second half of 2007 on 45 nanometer process technology, according to a news release. Construction is set to begin immediately.
The $3 billion facility will be Intel’s sixth for 300mm wafers. The structure will be about one million square feet with 184,000 square feet of clean room space. The project is expected to create up to a thousand new jobs at the site over the next several years.
Intel currently operates four 300mm fabs in Oregon, Ireland and New Mexico. The company also has an additional 300mm fab currently under construction in Arizona scheduled to begin operations later this year, and one expansion in Ireland scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of next year.