Intel Corp., the world’s largest maker of computer chips, will spend $7 billion on new plants in the U.S. over the next two years, an effort to extend its lead in manufacturing technology. The investment will boost production of so-called 32- nanometer chips at sites in Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico, Intel said in an e-mailed statement. Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini will talk about the plans at an event today at the Economic Club of Washington.
Intel, the biggest spender in the chip industry, is aiming to build more advanced plants at a time when its competitors can’t afford to. Chip-industry profits are drying up as global demand for personal computers plummets. The investment will support about 7,000 jobs, Intel said.
The announcement won’t change Intel’s current capital spending plans. The company’s budget for new plants and equipment this year will be little changed or slightly lower than 2008’s $5.2 billion, Santa Clara, California-based Intel said last month.
Computer chipmakers are locked in a race to narrow the width of microscopic circuits in semiconductors, which makes their manufacturing processes more efficient and their products perform better. Intel makes the majority of its chips with 45 nanometer technology. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter.
Intel’s largest competitor, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., is upgrading its plants, which are located in Dresden, Germany, from 65 nanometers to 45 nanometers.
Intel’s commitment to the U.S. comes as unemployment reached 7.6 percent in January, the highest since 1992. The company does about three-quarters of its manufacturing in the U.S., while making about the same portion of its sales overseas.
Intel fell 13 cents to $14.78 at 9:34 a.m. New York time on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The shares fell 45 percent last year.
---To contact the reporters on this story: Ian King in San Francisco at ianking@bloomberg.net;
Last Updated: February 10, 2009 09:35 EST . By Ian King (Bloomberg. com) ---
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1. chip --- n.碎片, 筹码,芯片v.削成碎片, 碎裂2. computer chips --- 电脑芯片
3. manufacturing technology --- 制造技术
4. investment --- n. 投资, 可获利的东西
5. boost --- v. 推进
6. so-called --- 所谓的
7. nanometer --- n.十亿分之一公尺,毫微米, 纳米
8. e-mailed statement --- 电子邮件声明
9. Chief Executive Officer --- 首席执行干事
10. Executive --- adj. 实行的, 执行的, 行政的 n.执行者, 经理主管人员
11. event --- n.事件, 事变, 结果, 活动, 精力, 竞赛
12. spender --- 挥霍者, 浪费者, 用钱的人, 挥金如土的人
13. industry --- n. 工业, 产业, 行业, 勤奋
14. aim --- n. 目标, 目的, 瞄准v.对...瞄准, 打算
15. aiming --- 瞄准, 对准
16. advanced plants --- 先进的工厂
17. competitor --- 竞争者
18. afford to --- 承受得起
19. profit --- n. 利润, 益处, 得益vi.得益, 利用vt.有益于, 有利于
20. dry up --- v.干涸, 枯竭, 萎缩
21. plummet --- n. 铅锤, 重荷,钟摆 vi.垂直落下,骤然跌落
22. announcement --- n. 宣告, 发表, 通告,声明,言论; 谈话, 一项公告, 一项私人告示
23. capital spending plans --- 资本支出计划
24. budget --- n.预算vi.做预算, 编入预算
25. equipment --- n.装备, 设备, 器材, 装置, 铁道车辆, (一企业除房地产以外的)固定资产, (工作必需的) 知识, 才能
26. slightly lower than --- 略低于…
27. locked in a race to --- 禁锢于…
28. narrow --- n.狭窄部分, 海峡, 隘路adj.狭窄的, 精密的, 严密的, 有限的, 气量小的, 勉强的, 眼光短浅的vi.变窄vt.使变狭窄, 使缩小
29. microscopic --- adj. 用显微镜可见的, 精微的
30. circuits --- n.电路, 一圈, 周游, 巡回[se`kit]
31. semiconductor --- n.[物] 半导体
32. efficient --- adj.(直接)生效的, 有效率的, 能干的[e`fficient]
33. perform --- vt.履行, 执行, 表演, 演出v.完成任务
34. majority --- n.多数, 大半n.[律] 成年 [ma`jority]
35. nanometer --- 纳米 [nano`meter]
36. nanometer technology --- 纳米技术
37. upgrade --- n.升级, 上升, 上坡adv.往上vt.使升级, 提升, 改良品种
38. commitment --- n.委托事项, 许诺, 承担义务,买卖（契约）,信奉； 赞助
39. unemployment --- n.失业, 失业人数
40. three-quarters --- 四分之三的
41. portion --- 一部分, 一分
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