Intel to advance chip manufacturing with €5bn Kildare investment
The investment is also expected to generate additional full-time employment for highly specialised professionals.
Multinational technology company Intel has today (13 July) announced a major investment in its Kildare facility. As part of the organisation’s continued investment in Ireland’s research sector, Intel intends to spend €5bn on its Leixlip campus.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless, TD said the investment will enable Intel to build its Xeon 6 semiconductor chips, bolster Europe’s tech sovereignty, protect European manufacturing from geopolitical risk and ensure advanced manufacturing capacity in Ireland.
“It is a huge vote of confidence in Ireland’s research sector and re-affirms the strong relationship between Intel and Leixlip,” he added.
The funding is also expected to create employment for specialised tradespeople across construction and equipment installation. Intel also stated that it will support key government policy in growing and strengthening Ireland’s semiconductor ecosystem, better positioning the country as a critical manufacturing hub in Europe.
Naga Chandrasekaran, the executive vice-president, CTO and general manager of Intel Foundry, said, “This €5bn investment represents a definitive commitment to maximise capacity at our Leixlip campus and increase what we can deliver to Intel Foundry customers.
“By investing in our existing fabs with state-of-the-art technology and installing cutting-edge tools, we are not just increasing output of critical products like Xeon 6 and next-gen Intel Xeon processors built on Intel 3, we are ensuring that Ireland remains at the forefront of the world’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystems, while strengthening the region’s role in the global technology landscape.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD said: “At a time of rapid technological change and global competition, this expansion strengthens Ireland’s role in securing resilient semiconductor supply chains and reinforces our ambition to remain a global leader in innovation, productivity and sustainable economic growth.”
Since establishing a presence in Ireland in the late 1980s, Intel has invested more than €30bn into its operations here. The Leixlip campus serves as one of the company’s most advanced manufacturing facilities, according to Intel, which currently employs around 4,900 people in Ireland.
IDA Ireland CEO Michael Lohan said, “Intel is one of Ireland’s longest standing and most strategically important investors. This project demonstrates the value of Ireland’s skilled workforce, innovation ecosystem and stable business environment, while reinforcing Ireland’s leadership in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, supporting both European competitiveness and resilient global supply chains.”
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