Italy, Intel Close To Sealing $5-B Deal For Chip Factory

Italy is close to clinching a deal initially worth $5 billion with Intel to build an advanced semiconductor packaging and assembly plant in the country, two sources briefed on discussions told Giuseppe Fonte and Giulio Piovaccari of Reuters on Thursday, August 4, 2022.

Photo Insert: Intel's investment in Italy is part of a wider plan announced by the US chipmaker earlier this year to invest $88 billion in building capacity across Europe.

Intel's investment in Italy is part of a wider plan announced by the US chipmaker earlier this year to invest $88 billion in building capacity across Europe, which is striving to cut its reliance on Asian chip imports and ease a supply crunch that has curbed output in the region's strategic car sector.

The sources said the government of outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi was working to have an agreement in place by the end of August, ahead of a snap national election scheduled on September 25.

Sources have previously told Reuters that Rome is ready to fund as much as 40% of Intel's total investment in Italy, which is expected to rise over time from the initial $5 billion.

The factory would use new technologies to weave together full chips out of tiles. Intel and the government have shortlisted possible sites in two Italian regions, the sources said, with one of them adding they are located in the northern regions of Piedmont and Veneto.

A final decision on where to build the facility is yet to be made, both the sources said. The Lombardy, Apuliam and Sicily regions had also been considered initially.

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