Intel Chips Are Driving AheadIntel Corp, one of the world's leading chip makers, announced Friday it will expand its Shanghai assembly and testing site by building its first manufacturing facility in China.This construction will expand the company's manufacturing space from its current 12,000 square metres to 56,000 square metres. A manufacturing plant and a warehouse will also be added to the site. Intel's existing site is in the Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, where the US-based company set up in 1995 and has spent US$198 million. Currently the site assembles and tests flash memory chips that can retain information when power shuts off in cellular phones, computers, digital cameras and other electronic devices. "Intel's increasing investment in our manufacturing facility in China is due to the rapid growth of demand in the global chip market," said Siew Hai Wong, general manager of Intel's Assembly and Testing Manufacturing Group. "The move will enable Intel to keep pace with the worldwide demand for its flash memory and other products," Wong said. Last year, the Shanghai production arm of Intel sold 85 million pieces of flash memory, valued at US$556 million, to other countries, company sources said. Due to be done by next August, the new construction will let the facility produce some 226 million pieces of flash memory by 2004. Intel sources said the company also plans to start producing chip sets soon. "We are very impressed with the investment environment, huge market potential and talent pool here and are proud of the strong relationship forged with local government," said Jason Chen, Intel's vice-president and general manager of Asia-Pacific operations. "The expansion of our manufacturing site in Shanghai shows Intel's long-term commitment to China," Chen said. |
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