According to Intel, this initiative will upgrade and optimize capacity at its facility in Leixlip, just outside Dublin, which manufactures Intel 3 silicon wafers. The company claims this is the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing site of its kind in Europe.
Additionally, the project will connect the facility with other factories on the campus, Intel’s European manufacturing hub, while also advancing research and development and retraining employees, noted Naga Chandrasekaran, executive vice president of Intel Foundry.
Intel plays a pivotal role in Ireland’s economy focused on foreign investment, having already invested €30 billion in the country since 1989. More than half of this investment occurred between 2019 and 2023 for a fabrication facility that doubled Ireland’s available capacity.
The cutting-edge manufacturing equipment being installed by Intel is set to enable the production of Intel Xeon 6 processors and the next generation of Intel Xeon, built on the group’s Intel 3 manufacturing process, the company stated.
”The demand for servers and AI is leading to a significant increase in the need for Intel 3 wafers,” Chandrasekaran informed reporters.
He also mentioned that the investment would add ”several hundred” jobs to the existing 4,900 employees Intel has in Ireland.
The majority of this investment is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, representing about 30% of Intel’s projected $17 billion capital expenditure for 2026, he added.
Ireland heavily depends on the taxes and jobs provided by foreign multinationals like Intel. Over the past decade, foreign-owned companies have nearly doubled their workforce in Ireland, now accounting for 11% of the entire labor market.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin stated that Intel’s latest investment serves as a strong endorsement of Ireland and its position as a hub for advanced manufacturing.
($1 = 0.8750 euros)
