Intel reveals plans to expand 'leading edge' plant
HILLSBORO, Ore. - Computer chipmaker Intel announced they are looking to expand a chip fabrication plant at their Hillsboro campus with a new large construction project.
In a press release, Intel said it had filed for permits to expand the "D1X" fabrication plant "to accommodate new semiconductor manufacturing technology expected to be deployed industry-wide later this decade."
They said the D1X plant is "leading edge" fabrication technology and the expansion will consist of a second module called "MOD2" that will be connected to the current facility, according to Intel Communications Manager Bill McKenzie.
An office building, manufacturing support building and a parking structure will also be built, pending permit approval.
Intel said they hope to begin construction of the facility in 2013 and have the equipment in place to start making wafers, which computer chips are built on, by 2015.
There was no immediate word from Intel on how many construction jobs would be created to build the addition or how many staffers would be needed at the new facility.
Below: The Intel D1X facility before the MOD2 expansion. Image courtesy of Intel.
Intel rendering of the MOD2 addition, expected to be completed in 2015:
parking is going to suck.
 @Siwash Yep. Even with a parking garage it will be a nightmare.
"In 2005 Intel persuaded the county to extend the property tax break to 2025, locking in an estimated $579 million in additional savings."
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And this is why schools have no money
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Considering the income of the blue badges and the sheer number of people that work there, Oregon, Hillsboro and the nation all benefit from that tax break in increased income taxes.
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There is something like 15,000 people work for Intel here in Oregon and at a wage of about $45,000 a year.
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That raises something like $680 million a year in tax revenue for the state.
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So a net gain of over $100 million a year. Iâd call that a good trade.
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@iamright555 The 6 billion plus they have invested that has trickled into the portland metro economy with 3000 jobs just at the site....countless hundreds to thousands more spread offset and through vendors. This has allowed a lot people staying in their homes and paying property taxes and income tax to fuel the economy and government spending.
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It has been speculated the "Intel anamoly" in unemployment numbers have made the state look like it was recovering, when in reality 5000+ conctruction jobs have been attributed to this project...It single handedly drained the electrical, plumbing,and  steam fitters halls for over 1 year....
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That doesn't include the other projects that are always going on out there....
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This comes at a very good time as the wind down of the first phase has dropped the numbers considerably. Watch the unemployment numbers tick up now...That is 2000-3000 unempoyed in the construction sector going out in a seasonal time it is not good for new jobs starting from one job....I hoped those people banked some of that money....
 @iamright555 I'm sure the 17,000 people employed by Intel as a result, and who's income makes the area and their schools the envy of the rest of Oregon really appreciate it.
they have a bunch of extra money since they dont pay any taxes
"Under the plan, Intel will continue to pay taxes on its land and buildings, as well as on the first $100 million it spends on new equipment. But after that, it will pay a reduced tax rate on the remainder of its equipment and tool costs..."
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This is from the Portland Business Journal in 2010 explaining the latest rounds of intel tax breaks for the Fab expansion....
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Pretty much like I said excpet the say first 100million of tools is still paid and its a reduction not a complete removal of tax on the equipment and tools....
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Trust me they pay their fair share....The cost per acre with a fab on it is higher than anything any other industry could build on that site...
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BUild homes??? Laughable...Be lucky to get 5 house lots per acre with about an average tax of 3-4k for that area....that is 15-20k in revenue per acre.....INtel is probably ten times that considering the 2 phases together are valued at 6 billion and they only set on about 25-30 acres of the little less than 300ac site....About 25% of the site is wetlands that cannot be built on so they are a loss no matter what....
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remember vacant lot garners very little taxes....
@iamright555 They pay taxes....The breaks come on property taxes p[aid on the expensive tools that go into the fab...They are paying for the structure and the land.....
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Example...the first phase was rumored to be 3billion....out of that probably half of that is in the very costly tools that go inside of it....They are the size of SUVS or larger but cost millions per each tool and there are lots of them...
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It would be like you patying property tax on your house but with the value of your furnishings.....your falt screen, couches, appliances, etc....
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It is reasonable tax break in my opinion...
Intel is the only real chip manufacturer left in North America and they deserve to be supported. All other manufacturing has been shipped overseas to Korea, Taiwan, and China, taking the capabilties of wealth creation with them.
Expanding the "D1X"? When did they finish it? LOL
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My wife stopped working there in 2006 and they had just started construction. Last winter I went there and they still had cranes.
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Intel has so much construction on the Jones farm location that construction people have their own permanent room to change in when they work in the FABs.
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@Repoman It is nearing completion now...Some areas are operational, others are not...most of the build out has only been 1/3rd of the building....Tool install has been going on for a few months now...
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The parking Structure is already under construction and the only cranes left out there arte on the CUB4 project which will feed phase 2...
What most people don't know is that the D1X fabrication plant exercises the process of fabrication of a CMOS inverter on p-type substrate in semiconductor microfabrication. In some cases, ions, such as O2+ or O+, are implanted in precise patterns and at a specific depth by using RF-driven ion sources. These steps are often repeated many hundreds of times, depending on the complexity of the desired circuit and its connections.
 @NiKnowZ I didn't know that.