Intel has passed a visible construction milestone at its Ohio One site in New Albany, Ohio, with installation of the first major structural truss for the first fab on the 1,000-acre campus. CNBC and ServeTheHome both cover the event, and both note that it arrives well after the project's original schedule. The campus was announced in January 2022 with production targeted for 2025; ServeTheHome cites a February 2025 state filing projecting the first fab will complete construction in 2030 and begin operations in 2030-2031, while CNBC describes the project as at least five years behind schedule.
Intel's broader US foundry build-out is also moving, if slowly. The next Arizona fab, Fab 62, is under construction and tool installation has begun, with operations expected by the end of 2028. ServeTheHome adds that Intel's US expansion is backed by up to $8.5 billion in direct CHIPS Act funding, plus tax credits and loans, and is expected to support roughly 10,000 Intel jobs and 20,000 construction jobs. The approach reflects a more cautious strategy under CEO Tan, with some European projects paused while US sites remain commitments.
The two sources differ on external customers. CNBC says Intel has yet to sign a major outside customer for the 18A chips produced at its Arizona fab, and that those chips are currently going into Intel's own products. ServeTheHome, by contrast, notes that Intel announced a multi-year deal with AWS to produce custom chips on 18A after restructuring its foundry business in September 2024. What both agree on is that construction milestones are only the beginning: Intel still needs to finish shells, install and calibrate equipment, and start wafers before the Ohio or Arizona fabs can generate foundry revenue.