When Intel broke ground in Licking County less than three years ago, the chipmaker said it could be online by 2025, but that aggressive plan for its eventual central Ohio plants is pushing later again.
Intel announced the timeline adjustment in a Friday statement, pushing the date to finish one fabrication plant to 2030 and the second “fab” to 2031. Neither will come online until at least 2031, according to Intel.
“In no way does this diminish our long-term commitment to Ohio. We have already started hiring Ohioans who are training at our fabs in Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon,” Intel’s statement read. “Intel is proud to call Ohio home, and we remain excited about our future here.”
Ohio executives and business leaders remain rather confident in Intel, despite numerous delays in construction.
Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for Gov. Mike DeWine, said Friday the administration was “disappointed” by the later date.
“The company has continued to tell the state the fabs will be completed and produce chips. This is a construction delay. The project is moving forward,” Tierney said over text.
Matt Englehart, a spokesperson for JobsOhio, said Intel’s broader commitment “remains unchanged,” regardless of the market realities. The powerful and private firm pursues economic projects on the state’s behalf.
“We are a flexible partner with the ability to work alongside Intel as it moves the project forward on its adjusted timeline, placing Ohio at the center of cutting-edge semiconductor production that is essential to American national economic security and national defense,” Englehart’s statement read.
The state has already disbursed $600 million in onshoring grants to the tech giant for its central Ohio venture. Intel is in the process of constructing sizeable computer chip fabrication plants in Licking County, which will amount to a pledged $20 billion investment when it’s done.
The Ohio Department of Development awarded Intel those onshoring grants, and set 2028 as the deadline for when it needs to meet its job and investment commitments to the state, according to contract documents.
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