LICKING COUNTY — Intel has announced it will be delaying its construction timeline for its $20 billion semiconductor chip plant in central Ohio.
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The company said this was due to business conditions and the demand environment, a spokesperson told our news partner WBNS in Columbus on Thursday.
The initial timeline had chip-making beginning in 2025 but construction on the project’s manufacturing facilities is not expected to be complete until late 2026, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“Managing large-scale projects often involves adapting to changing timelines, a common occurrence in the industry. Our decision-making is anchored in market dynamics and responsible capital management,” said an Intel spokesperson.
News Center 7 originally reported back in January 2022 that Ohio beat out 40 states to build Intel’s new $20 billion chip facility in Licking County.
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The company says that construction timelines for facilities such as the one in Licking County are three to five years from the groundbreaking, which took place in Sept. 2022, WBNS said.
News Center 7 was also at the groundbreaking in Licking County back in September 2022.
Intel has hired more than 100 Ohioans and has 800-900 construction workers on the site and expects to have thousands more by the end of the year.
“Our ongoing investment and commitment solidify the project’s forward momentum. We have proactively undertaken significant preparatory work in anticipation of the CHIPS Act grants, aligning our strategy with future planning,” said an Intel spokesperson.
The company also told WBNS that it is fully committed to the project and will continue to make progress on the construction of the factories and supporting facilities this year.