Intel's announcement of plans to open two leading-edge semiconductor fabrication sites near Magdeburg, Germany, is a signal that the chipmaking giant plans to focus on safeguarding its supply chain against future geopolitical shocks.
The company said on Tuesday that it plans to break ground on the Magdeburg facilities in the first half of 2023, with chip production to begin in 2027. Intel will spend €17 billion (US$18.6 billion) on the new fabrication plants, as well as up to a further €16.5 billion on additional projects that include expansions of its existing fabrication facilities in the Republic of Ireland, a new R&D plant in France, and additional build-outs of several kinds of plants in Poland, Italy and Spain.
