Worldwide INTEL Still Expanding, Maybe in Israel

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                  

The birth of Intel Corporation took place on July 18, 1968 in Santa Clara, California.  .  It is the largest multinational semi conductor chip maker in the world.   They make the micro processors found in personal computers.

They have had several branches in Hillsboro, Oregon, where many Israelis have come to work.  Intel has also expanded to Arizona and New Mexico.  Reports from Israel this past weekend tell of Intel's undecided decision about where to build a new chip factory.   The two prospects are Kiryat Gat, Israel or Ireland.  They are almost finished building new fabs in Hillsboro and Arizona.  The new fab in Hillsboro is called DIX where they will work on larger,  and better 450-millimeter silicon wafers.  That will affect fabs all over the world.

It all depends on whether or not they can secure a large subsidy from the Israeli government.  Intel wants Israel to pay 10% of the cost, $300 million to $400 million.  This project could boost the company's employment in Kiryat Gat by 3,000.  There is also another site in Haifa, Israel.

Intel has been leasing  a factory to Micron, but Micron is planning on shutting it down, so Intel is either going to overhaul this (fab) or build a new one according to Haaretz and the business publication "Globes."

Intel expanded in Ireland 2 years ago.

Reference:  Oregonian newspaper, June 11, 2013,  page C4
http://www.haaretz.com/business/shakeup-at-intel-weakens-israeli-execs.premium-1.528166
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/intel_corporation/index.html

Ashkelon, Israel

Ashkelon is Portland's sister city. It is noted for its leisure and sports. It's a natural resort area. Ashkelon's population is 125,000 and looks like a beach town. There are new high rises and lovely two-story seaside villas with streets and coastline rimmed with palm trees.

Along the beach line is a paved beach promenade. An 18-hole golf course is in the works. The marina is home to sailing and sports clubs.

Ashkelon is one of the oldest cities in the world. The Ashkelon National Park has some of the most remarkable archeological discoveries; a 4,000 year old arched gate to a Canaanite city. Future plans are for a visitors' center and restoring archeological treasures. The park is amid a beautiful nature reserve where tamarisk and sycamore trees stand. Picnic tables are near a Canaanite shrine, and ancient well and cistern. People picknicing on blankets can go where the Roman basilica once stood. There they will see rows of heavy marble columns leading to a large ditch where life-sized statues of Atlas, the goddess Nike and Egyptian goddess Isis have been placed.

Citizens try to forget about rockets that have landed close by from Gaza terrorists. In August 2006 one fell between Ashkelon and and coast, and last month one fell on a neaby parking lot. The marina was almost hit. Life goes on in this blissful city.

A subsidiary of the Coca-Cola Company, Israel's Carlsberg Brewery, gets water from Ashkelon's aquifers. The restaurant, Luna, is in a restored mosque about 700 years old. In the evening, jazz music and candlelight are seen within its Ottoman arched walls.

One cannot forget that Barzelai Hospital is in Ashkelon, which serves people from the Gaza Strip as well as the city and surrounding areas. They have been kept extremely busy with the attacking rocket fire.

Resource: Jerusalem Post: The sunny side of Ashkelon www.jpost.com/servlet/Sattellite?cid=1210668645892&pagename=JPost%2FJPArtic

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