Intel opens US's first advanced packaging fab
Intel has formally opened its Fab 9 factory in New Mexico. It describes the plant as its first high-volume chip operation and the only US factory producing advanced packaging solutions at scale.
The USD 3.5 billion Rio Rancho site was set up by Intel to focus on more advanced products such as its 3D packaging technology, Foveros, which offers flexible options for combining multiple chips that are optimised for power, performance and cost.
Foveros represents the next era for Intel as the semiconductor industry migrates towards deploying multiple chiplets in a package. It enables the building of processors with compute tiles stacked vertically, rather than side-by-side. This allows Intel and foundry customers to mix and match compute tiles to optimise cost and power efficiency. Foveros offers a path toward achieving 1 trillion transistors on a chip and thus extends Moore’s Law beyond 2030.
The opening of Fab 9 also reflects Intel's desire to bring manufacturing back to the US. It says the plant delivered more than 3,000 construction jobs and an additional 3,500 jobs across the state. Intel’s presence in Rio Rancho dates to 1980, with a cumulative investment of more than USD 16 billion in capital.
"Today, we celebrate the opening of the only US factory producing the world’s most advanced packaging solutions at scale," said Keyvan Esfarjani, Intel executive vice president and chief global operations officer. "This cutting-edge technology sets Intel apart and gives our customers real advantages in performance, form factor and flexibility in design applications, all within a resilient supply chain. Congratulations to the New Mexico team, the entire Intel family, our suppliers, and contractor partners who collaborate and relentlessly push the boundaries of packaging innovation."