Intel’s recently announced Ohio chip manufacturing complex could begin construction by the end of this year, setting the stage for a long-term, multibillion-dollar development effort many experts have likened to building a small city from scratch.
Announced Jan. 21, the initial $20-billion phase of Intel’s plan for the 1,000-acre site east of Columbus calls for constructing two chip fabrication facilities, or “fabs,” that would begin production in 2025. The company says six additional fabs could be added at the site over the next decade, along with facilities for support operations and an “ecosystem” of suppliers and technology partners.