'Silicon Heartland:' Intel Chooses Ohio to Build Largest Chip Factory 'on the Planet'
Computer chip maker Intel will reportedly be investing $20 billion to develop a new chip manufacturing site in New Albany, Ohio. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger told TIME in an interview that the chipmaker expects the location to become “the largest silicon manufacturing location on the planet,” adding that the plant could expand to 2,000 acres. Gelsinger said that the new site could become the “Silicon Heartland.”
The Verge reports that chipmaker Intel will be spending $20 billion to construct a new chip manufacturing site in New Albany, Ohio, close to Columbus. The 1,000-acre manufacturing plant will contain two chip factories and will employ at least 3,000 people and “tens of thousands” more across suppliers and company partners.
Construction of the facility is set to begin this year, with the site becoming fully operational in 2025. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger told TIME in an interview that the chipmaker expects the location to become “the largest silicon manufacturing location on the planet,” adding that the plant could expand to 2,000 acres. Gelsinger said that the new site could become the “Silicon Heartland.”
A close-up shows an Intel Nahuku board, each of which contains eight to 32 Intel Loihi neuromorphic research chips.(Credit: Tim Herman/Intel Corporation)
Intel is investing as much as $100 billion in the site over the next ten years and around $100 million as part of partnerships with Ohio universities, colleges, and the U.S. National Science Foundation to foster new talent.
Josh Mandel, who is leading the Republican primary race for Senate, commented on Twitter that: “Ohio has the brains and the brawn to lead a new American economy that brings prosperity to OUR citizens instead of to the Chinese Communist Party.”
Ohio has the brains and the brawn to lead a new American economy that brings prosperity to OUR citizens instead of to the Chinese Communist Party. https://t.co/gIRV6zw7XO
— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) January 21, 2022
Intel has multiple factories in the U.S. already, including in Oregon, New Mexico, and Arizona. The Ohio facility will be the first manufacturing expansion by Intel into a new state in over 40 years, according to the New York Times.
Intel has been massively increasing its investments in manufacturing capacity under the company’s new CEO, who previously announced a $20 billion expansion of the firm’s current Arizona complex.
Breitbart News previously reported that Gelsinger wants to restore Intel’s status as the leader of the semiconductor industry but doing so requires a number of manufacturing upgrades and the delivery of powerful new computer chips. Intel aims to restore the U.S. market share of chip manufacturing, which has dropped from 37 percent in 1990 to just 12 percent today. Gelsinger commented: “Over the decade in front of us, we should be striving to bring the US to 30% of worldwide semiconductor manufacturing.”
In June, the U.S. Senate approved a bill to provide $52 billion to U.S. semiconductor companies that are trying to keep manufacturing in the U.S.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
