Intel appears to have backtracked and delayed on a historic commitment to invest over US$200 billion in US and Europe-based silicon manufacturing facilities before the end of the year. As of now, the chipmaker has shifted the starting date on these plans to early 2022.
Intel’s Patrick Gelsinger recently announced that the chipmaker’s ambitious US$200 billion investment plans for US and Europe chip manufacturing would be pushed out of this year, and into 2022. The delay was announced while Gelsinger spoke about a US$7 billion facility in Malaysia that Intel had started work on.
Intel’s plans to bring the “most refined and capable manufacturing capacity” back to US shores. For years, now, Taiwan’s remained the global hub of silicon manufacturing, with TSMC alone accounting for over half of the world’s silicon market share. The delay arrives shortly after CEO Gelsinger criticized Taiwan as a viable long-term location for the industry, citing geopolitical tensions.
Intel’s decision to backtrack could introduce complications, as the chipmaker has actively pushed for US government subsidies to move manufacturing back to the West. It remains to be seen what kind of impact this delay could have on any potential US government subsidies for the chip manufacturing industry.
Moreover, considering Intel’s track record of delays – the company was supposed to launch 10nm silicon in 2015, but only just did so last month – it remains an open question as to whether or not US manufacturing plans will pick up next year.
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