"We are restarting Fab 24," said Paul Otellini, president and COO at Intel. The company has once again begun construction on the fab, with production slated for the first half of 2004, according to Otellini during the Webcast event.

Intel's Fab 24 project has been delayed at least twice. Originally, Fab 24 was planned as a 200-mm wafer plant, but last year was changed to the larger wafer size production, while at the same time its opening was pushed back a year, to late 2002 (see March 14, 2001 story ).

Then, that opening slipped about 12 months to late 2003. Earlier this year, Intel insisted that Fab 24 is on track despite ongoing construction delays with the plant (see Jan. 18, 2001 story ).

At the Webcast event today, Intel threw down the gantlet in the chip-manufacturing arena, saying that it plans to become the world's leader in producing 90-nm chips on 300-mm wafer substrates.

"We will be the leader of 90-nm technology going forward," said Craig Barrett, chief executive of Intel. "We are planning to ramp up 90-nm technology in mid '03," he said during a Webcast event here today.

Intel reportedly plans to build its initial 90-nm chips in a development fab in Hillsboro, Ore. However, Intel may not be the first company to bring its 90-nm products to market. For example, one chip maker--Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.--plans to move into "risk production" with its 90-nm process by the third or fourth quarter of 2002.

Meanwhile, Intel has targeted Fab 24 as the high-volume fab for its 90-nm technology. When completed in 2004, the one-million-square-foot building will consist of 160,000-square-feet of cleanroom space. Operations are expected to begin in the first half of 2004.

The fab will be the largest single construction project in Ireland. Additionally, Intel's cumulative investment in manufacturing facilities in Ireland at the end of 2004 will total more than $5 billion.

When the new facility is completed the company will have four 300-mm wafer fabrication facilities in operation.