Intel Opens Irish Chip Plant

Tom Franz, the general manager of fab manufacturing at Intel, said the 65-nanometer fabrication facilities combined with Intel's chip designs, position the company to achieve significant growth.

"It's another milestone in putting us ahead of other semiconductor companies," said Franz.

Intel already has a pair of fabs producing 65-nanometer chips in Oregon and Arizona, and the company has plans to bring online a fourth 65-nanometer fab in Oregon later this year.

The Irish fab, officially known as Fab 24-2, was completed last year and began manufacturing its first chips at the beginning of this year.

Franz said the fab was now in volume production, cranking out thousands of 300mm wafers a week -- more than halfway above the facility's total potential capacity. He said the factory should be fully ramped by the end of the year.

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