Tuesday, May 14th 2019
Intel to Move 3D XPoint Memory Manufacturing to China
With its IMFlash Technology joint-venture with Micron coming to an end, Intel is finding itself with manufacturing challenges for its memory businesses. The company holds IP to both 3D NAND flash and its own invention 3D XPoint memory, which it believes will succeed NAND flash in performance and endurance. The company is now mulling to move manufacturing of 3D XPoint to a foundry in China. Intel currently manufactures this exotic new memory at an IMFlash Technology facility in Utah. Intel's $1.3 billion stake-sale to Micron pushes it out of this facility.
Under the terms of the stake-sale, Micron allows Intel to continue to manufacture 3D XPoint at IMFlash for a year, after which it must manufacture it elsewhere. The transfer of stake is scheduled for October 31st, which means Intel's manufacturing in Utah will continue till October 2020. In the meantime, Intel is planning to move manufacturing to its Fab 68, located in Dalian, China. Intel is now manufacturing 1st and 2nd generation 3D Xpoint, while its 3rd generation is under development, and was earlier slated for initial manufacturing at Intel's Fab 11X in New Mexico, USA. It's not known if Intel has changed these plans. 3rd generation 3D XPoint hits mass-production in 2021.
Source:
AnandTech
Under the terms of the stake-sale, Micron allows Intel to continue to manufacture 3D XPoint at IMFlash for a year, after which it must manufacture it elsewhere. The transfer of stake is scheduled for October 31st, which means Intel's manufacturing in Utah will continue till October 2020. In the meantime, Intel is planning to move manufacturing to its Fab 68, located in Dalian, China. Intel is now manufacturing 1st and 2nd generation 3D Xpoint, while its 3rd generation is under development, and was earlier slated for initial manufacturing at Intel's Fab 11X in New Mexico, USA. It's not known if Intel has changed these plans. 3rd generation 3D XPoint hits mass-production in 2021.
35 Comments on Intel to Move 3D XPoint Memory Manufacturing to China
You can't complain because companies in capitalist countries want to make as much money as possible as their number one objective. China had low wages, the know how and manpower. That's why all the western companies flocked to China.
Money, China has it, the west wants it.
Also I'm curious by which rules you're talking about ~ anything specific, because this tech transfer law was introduced way back IIRC? How many of these entities then go on to sell the same products, presumably under the JV, with a different name or export them? As far as I remember there's no major example of such JV (partners) exporting goods at the expense of the IP owner, foreign companies in this case.
And just to make many stand clear ~ the foreign firms are also responsible for exploiting cheap labor the world over as well as flouting environmental laws for more $ however that's a separate issue, albeit a very closely related one.
"We" don't hate the Chinese, "we" dislike the CCP for various well documented reasons, including fostering rampant technology theft.
There must be more to the terms than just that.
I agree about the cheap labor, western people are used to paying less for things compared to their income, but it's not sustainable, it'll have to go away, settle for less, especially if India, Vietnam and other countries will no longer be cheap. Who will be next to try to keep these margins, maybe Africa, but who knows. I hope that this sort of situation will force some systemic changes eventually. Nuclear weapon is a blocker to try to solve this with a large scale war.
In West Virginia we got tons of empty buildings,and low cost of living and doing biz here. We need companies to come to WV! Intel should put a fab or two here and then people will flock to WV and help our economy!
Facebook and Zayo and 2 other telcos are gonna ramp up fiber infrastructure in my state and WV legislators are pushing hard for broadband expansion and support 5G deployments. Hope our state succeeds in that and turns my area into Silicon Mountains.