Intel Launches 'Mode3' Semiconductor Expansion Facility in Oregon, USA, with $3.7 Trillion Investment

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] American semiconductor company Intel unveiled new facilities within its Oregon factory, built with an investment of $3 billion (approximately 3.7 trillion KRW) over three years. Intel stated that it aims to accelerate advanced process development centered on this factory, which has expanded large-scale cleanrooms, to establish U.S. leadership in semiconductor research and development (R&D).

On the 11th (local time), Intel held a ceremony to mark the start of operations of Mod3, an expansion facility of the D1X fab located in Hillsboro, Oregon. The event was attended by Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, Intel executives, Oregon Governor Kate Brown, and U.S. political figures.

Over the past three years, Intel has invested more than $3 billion in Mod3 to expand the D1X fab. This investment created a 270,000-square-foot cleanroom capable of developing next-generation silicon process technologies, with Intel aiming to increase production capacity by 20%. Intel explained that the cleanroom area of Mod3 is equivalent to the size of four American football stadiums combined.

Intel has invested $52 billion in the Oregon region over the past 50 years. The Intel factory in Hillsboro, Oregon, serves as a global technology development headquarters, supporting Intel’s product roadmap and creating various technologies. Currently, about 22,000 employees work across Intel’s four campuses in the Hillsboro area. Along with the unveiling of Mod3, Intel announced that it will name this 500-acre (approximately 2.02 million square meters) campus 'Gordon Moore Park' after the company’s founder.

CEO Gelsinger said, "Since its founding, Intel has continuously strived to advance 'Moore’s Law,'" adding, "This factory will enhance our ability to provide an accelerated process roadmap necessary to support Intel’s IDM 2.0 strategy." Just one month after taking office, Gelsinger announced the IDM 2.0 strategy in March last year, declaring the resumption of the foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) business. He also announced plans to produce products using the 1.8 nm (nanometer; 1 nm = one billionth of a meter) process starting in 2025 to catch up with Taiwan’s TSMC and Samsung Electronics. Foreign media reported that D1X Mod3 will accelerate the achievement of this roadmap goal.

Intel Senior Vice President Ann Kelleher emphasized, "Semiconductors are at the core of U.S. technological leadership, the economy, and supply chain resilience," adding, "Intel is the only company leading processor and packaging R&D and producing large volumes of advanced process semiconductors in the U.S."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.