Intel Gets Go-Ahead For $4 Billion Chip Plant In Ireland 104
alancronin writes "Intel has been planning to make its Ireland base one of three global manufacturing sites for its 14nm chips since May last year, and its now been given the okay by Ireland's lead planning agency. The new $4 billion plant will create around 4,300 jobs for the region in Co. Kildare, where Intel already has around 4,000 on staff. The two-year plan involves redeveloping its existing operation, expanding and shifting to make its smaller, more efficient 14nm process. Intel's plans don't stop there, however. It still plans to roll out 10nm products sometime in 2015."
Good news (Score:2, Insightful)
I don't care if the reason why they place their facility on Ireland is the low taxes. At least they are giving the Irish people jobs in return, unlike many other corporations. Also, I get to buy cheap processors that were not manufactured in Asia.
Re:well, good. (Score:5, Insightful)
It comes at a cost - the Irish government is famous for encouraging huge foreign businesses to come in and set up to bring in thousands of jobs at a time at the expense of encouraging any sort of local entrepreneur. As a result, there are quite a few towns where a disproportionate number of jobs depend not just on a specific industry, but on a specific company within that industry.
When that company leaves for even cheaper pastures, the town's in trouble.
Re:well, good. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:well, good. (Score:4, Insightful)
There could be other reasons to avoid that. Granted, I don't think the idea is that prevalent in the technology sector, but in a lot of various areas there's the attitude that anything made in SE Asia (with the exception of Japan) is junk. Doesn't really matter if it actually IS junk or not, but that's the perception.
Take pocket-knives for example. Buck Knives moved some of their lower end production to China a few years back, and despite the Chinese made products actually being pretty decent quality, the community opinion of them ranks a Chinese-made Buck about on the level of a counterfeit.
Western European countries generally don't suffer that bias. They're still known as a location of "craftsman". Like I said I don't think its as much of an issue with electronics, but I certainly do know people who absolutely won't buy something if it says "Made in " China, Taiwan, Vietnam, etc. As I mentioned earlier about the only country around there that's managed to shake that image is Japan, who certainly is known for producing quality stuff.