Intel's Ohio chip plant installs its first main truss, completion target postponed to 2030
On October 21, Intel announced that construction workers have installed the first major structural truss at the new chip factory in New Albany, Ohio, marking the start of the next phase of construction. Naga Chandrasekaran, head of Intel's foundry, stated on the company's website that this is another step towards expanding advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity in the United States.The factory was originally scheduled to begin chip production in 2025, but Intel has now postponed the completion target to 2030. The second Ohio wafer fab at the same site is planned to be completed by 2031, located northeast of Columbus. The delay is related to a recalibration of the foundry business under CEO Lip-Bu Tan. After taking over in 2025, Tan adopted a more cautious strategy, preferring to advance large-scale factory construction only after customer demand is clear. The project was initially driven by former CEO Pat Gelsinger, aimed at providing foundry services for external customers.As of the end of 2025, Intel has been mass-producing the most advanced 18A chips at its Arizona wafer fab, primarily for its own processors, and has not yet secured large external customers. Chandrasekaran also announced on the same day that operations for the next wafer fab in Arizona are expected to begin by the end of 2028, with construction and equipment installation currently underway. In September 2025, reports indicated that SK Hynix might be in talks with Intel to lease part of the foundry space at the Ohio plant for producing memory chips, but neither party has confirmed any plans.
