Intel commits $36 billion to making chips in Europe

Intel announced Tuesday that it plans to invest over 33 billion euros ($36 billion) into boosting chipmaking across the European Union as the bloc looks to become more self-reliant when it comes to semiconductors.

The Santa Clara-based chipmaker said it will build two new factories in Madgeburg, Germany, as part of the investment, which is being subsidized with public funding. Construction is set to begin in the first half of 2023 and production will come online in 2027, providing there are no regulatory issues, Intel said.

The firm said Germany is an ideal place to establish the new "Silicon Junction" mega-site because of the talent and infrastructure on offer, as well as the existing ecosystem of suppliers and customers.

Some 17 billion euros will be invested in the German facilities, Intel said, adding that it expects the investment to create 7,000 construction jobs over the course of the build and 3,000 permanent jobs at Intel.

Intel also pledged to create a new R&D and design hub in France, and to invest in R&D, manufacturing and foundry services in Ireland, Italy, Poland and Spain.

Approximately 12 billion euros is expected to be invested in doubling the manufacturing space of a facility in Leixlip, Ireland. Intel said it will have spent 30 billion euros in Ireland when the expansion is complete.

In Italy, Intel said it is "in negotiations" about a new 4.5 billion euro "back-end" manufacturing facility.

There has been a shortage of some types of semiconductors for around two years after the Covid-19 pandemic put a strain on supply chains as demand for electronics surged.

Europe is in the midst of trying to reduce its reliance on Asia and the U.S. for semiconductors but setting up chip foundries costs billions of dollars.

Intel, one of three chipmaking heavyweights along with TSMC and Samsung, said the investments are part of a broader package that will see the company invest as much as 80 billion euros in Europe over the next decade.