Tag: Intel

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Europe

Intel to invest $19 bn for chip plant in Germany

The company is also in discussions with Italy to build an Assembly and packing facility there at a cost of up to $4.9 billion…reports Asian Lite News

 Chipmaker Intel said it plans to build a semiconductor plant in Germany as part of an investment of up to 80 billion euros ($88 billion) in Europe over the next decade.

The initial outlay for the facility in Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, is 17 billion euros ($19 billion), reports TechCrunch.

The so-called “mega-site” will actually comprise two factories. Planning will start right away with construction expected to get under way in the first half of next year, as long as Intel gets the thumbs up from the European Commission.

Production should commence at what Intel is calling “Silicon Junction” in 2027. As such, the plant won’t help offset the global chip shortage any time soon, the report said.

Intel said the dual plants will build chips using its top-of-the-line Angstrom-era transistor tech. It expects to create 7,000 construction jobs for the duration of the build, 3,000 permanent positions and thousands more jobs across partners and suppliers.

Elsewhere, Intel will invest another 12 billion euros ($13 billion) to expand a factory in Leixlip, Ireland. It will double the manufacturing space and expand foundry services there.

The company is also in discussions with Italy to build an Assembly and packing facility there at a cost of up to $4.9 billion.

Intel plans to build its European research and development hub near Plateau de Saclay, France. It expects to create 1,000 jobs as a result, with 450 of those opening up by the end of 2024.

The chipmaker aims to set up its main European foundry design center in France too. Further investments are earmarked for Poland and Spain.

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-Top News China

China not okay with Intel’s weak apology

Intel’s apology became a trending topic on Chinese social media platform Weibo, where many netizens are not buying Intel’s “weak” statement….reports Asian Lite News

US chip giant Intel on Thursday apologised to its Chinese consumers, partners and the public for the trouble caused by its move to boycott products from Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, but some Chinese netizens and experts said that the apology was not sincere and more commercial ramifications could follow, the Global Times reported.

In a statement issued in Chinese, Intel said that “we deeply apologise for the trouble caused to our respected Chinese customers, partners and the public”.

It noted that although its original intention was to ensure compliance with the US laws, its letter on the Xinjiang issue has caused “many questions and concerns among our cherished Chinese partners, and we deeply regret it”.

The statement came after the company’s recent letter requiring its suppliers to not source goods or services or use labour from Xinjiang sparked widespread anger among the Chinese public and its Chinese partners.

On Wednesday, Chinese pop singer Wang Junkai terminated all cooperation with Intel, saying that after multiple rounds of “serious communication”, the US firm still failed to publicly express its stance and attitude.

“National interest is above all else,” the young popular singer said in a statement, the report said.

Intel’s statement on Thursday became a trending topic on Chinese social media platform Weibo, where many netizens are not buying Intel’s “weak” statement.

Chinese industry experts also suggested that Intel’s statement will not be sufficient to change its image in the Chinese market.

Ma Jihua, veteran industry expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that Intel did not have to make this high-profile move to please US politicians in the first place, and its apology under pressure could not be sincere, “because that would be slapping itself in the face”.

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-Top News Asia News China

Intel Move on Uyghur Products Annoys China

Chinese netizens’ tsunami of anger was reflected in the comments left on Intel’s Chinese Weibo account, with majority of them demanding Intel should apologise …reports Asian Lite News

Chinese state media has slammed US tech company Intel following the latter’s recent statement requiring all its supply chain not to source goods or services or use labour from Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Analysts said that Intel’s discriminative stance against Xinjiang, coming at a time when the US government intensified crackdown on Chinese technology companies, is a calibrated “cunning” move that aims to please the US government, while the move will only cause limited harm to its business, Global Times reported.

But some analysts warned that Intel’s discrimination against China’s Xinjiang region will backfire among Chinese customers and end users, and taint its international image, adding that the move will eventually take a toll on Intel’s sales in China, its largest source of business revenue, the report said.

Chinese netizens’ tsunami of anger was reflected in the comments left on Intel’s Chinese Weibo account, with majority of them demanding Intel should apologise and clarify its statement about Xinjiang.

According to a policy statement released by Intel earlier this month, the company said that “multiple governments have imposed restrictions on products sourced from the Xinjiang region. Therefore, Intel is required to ensure our supply chain does not use any labour or source goods or services from the Xinjiang region”, while stressing that the company prohibits “the use of any human trafficked labour, such as forced, debt-bonded, prison, indentured or slave labour.

China has remained Intel’s top revenue generator since 2015, according to its annual financial statements, the report said.

In 2020, Intel generated $20.26 billion from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong market in total.

Analysts said that Intel’s competitors such as Qualcomm have done a better job in forging closer ties with Chinese market players, the report said.

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