CEO Pat Gelsinger is committed to investing in the country, regardless of the final results of the existing variety process.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said Ireland was on the list of the company’s billions of euros of investment in its European production capacity.
The chip giant’s boss spoke during a stopover in Ireland (Sept. 9) as part of a broader European trip. Gelsinger met with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD, and the two stopped at Intel’s leixlip site, Co Kildare, which is expanding as a component of an existing initiative that began in 2019.
Martin and Gelsinger met with representatives from IDA Ireland.
Earlier this week, Gelsinger said Intel plans to invest 80 billion euros in Europe over the next decade and that part of the capacity of the Leixlip plant will go, in particular, to the production of automotive chips.
The company is in negotiations with European leaders over where to build two new chip production facilities and how much money the bloc will bring to the project.
Speaking about Leixlip’s tour, Gelsinger said: “We have secured nominations for venues from all European countries, some 70 other venues. We are now about 10 finalists who have reached the bar and Ireland is obviously one of them.
According to RTÉ, the CEO added that if he decides on Ireland or a new primary facility, the company plans to continue its investments in the country in the future.
“This has been a wonderful position for Intel and I hope we will continue to expand it as we move forward and everything goes well,” he said.
An Intel spokesperson told Siliconrepublic. com: “Intel has in the past announced plans to build two new plants in the EU and invest €80 billion over the next decade.
“We are having constructive talks with the European Commission and the governments of several member states and we are through the shared ambition to manufacture 20% of the world’s leading chips by 2030. “
The spokesman concluded: “Negotiations are ongoing and we hope to be able to make an announcement until the end of the year. “