Intel celebrates significant progress at its Ohio Silicon Heartland fabs — basements completed and four superloads delivered

Intel has achieved notable construction progress at its upcoming Ohio fabs in Licking County, reports local ABC affiliate WSYX TV 6. Team Blue reports that the basements are now ready and the next stage involves constructing the floors. Likewise, four massive superloads have been delivered, and Intel shared a glimpse of one of the largest cranes in the world at the construction site.

In 2021, Intel announced an investment of over $28 billion to construct two bleeding-edge chip manufacturing campuses in Licking County. While initial progress has been slow, with the fabs potentially delayed to 2026 or 2027, Intel seems to be picking up pace as the Silicon Heartland takes shape.

Jim Evers, Vice President of Intel Ohio, reports that over five million labor hours have been invested in constructing these units. The basements are now complete and the team will shift focus to constructing the main floors now. Moreover, four superloads are also available on-site — with one weighing in at 916,000 pounds resulting in a nine-day road closure. Superloads are large shipments that carry equipment and materials to these fabs; they can be as long as an entire football field.

Commemorating this feat, a team from Intel visited fourth- and fifth-grade students at Johnstown Intermediate Elementary. The students were shown an image of the Liebherr LR, capable of lifting 5.5 million pounds or 400 adult-sized elephants. They coined the giant crane "Mrs. Armstrong," reflecting the role of girls in STEAM and envisioning women on the moon.

Despite all the glam and glitter, Intel is yet to clarify if these fabs will go live anytime soon. Constructing a fabrication unit is one thing; setting it up and making sure everything is up to scratch is another. It may take Intel another year or two until these campuses can operate at full steam.

As it stands, Intel is the largest single private-sector investor in Ohio's history. Bringing the ambitious project to fruition is imperative for Intel, given its dire financials. This is also a crucial moment for the US as it advances to secure its future in semiconductor manufacturing. These new fabrication units are expected to add roughly $2.7 billion to Ohio's GDP and create almost 20,000 job vacancies from supporting businesses in the Silicon Heartland ecosystem.