Thread: Intel set to hire 1,500 workers in Israel, says report

EE Times: Semi News
Intel set to hire 1,500 workers in Israel, says report

Amir Ben-Artzi
(10/16/2006 7:31 AM EDT)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtm ... =193302829





NETANYA, Israel — Intel Corp. is set to recruit 1,500 workers for its sites in Israel, between now and the end of 2007, having already recruited 1,000 workers in Israel since January 2006, according to a local report.

The reported recruitment plan contrasts with Intel's previously reported plan to cut 10,500 workers worldwide, or about 10 percent of its global workforce. Intel Israel, which employs about 7000 people, would expand significantly as a result. The recruitment drive appears to imply Intel is not planning any delay to the ramping of chip production at Fab 28, its 300-mm wafer fab under construction at Kiryat Gat.

Alex Kornhauser, who heads Intels activity in Israel, told the Israeli newspaper The Marker that Intel has already recruited about 1,000 workers for its Israeli sites since the beginning of 2006, with another 1,500 yet to join. About 55 percent of the recruitment intake are joining or set to join the production workforce, mainly in Kiryat Gat. The remaining 45 percent of the intake are set to be employed in Intels research and development centers, mostly in Haifa. Sources in Intel told EE Times Europe that the electronics, electrical and computer engineers joining the Haifa site are being recruited to develop the companys next mobile processors.

Kornhauser said that alongside the recruitment there would be cutbacks in the Israeli workforce, although on a smaller scale than the 700 jobs, previously expected, the report said. The 700 jobs figure had been proposed on the premise that Intel Israel would cut 10 percent of its workforce inline with Intel's global plans. However it was also suggested at the time of Intel's job cuts announcement that the company would not cut heavily in Israel (see Sept. 7 story).

Intel has been active in Israel since 1974. Fab-28 in Kiryat Gat involves an investment of over $3.5 billion by Intel, in addition to a grant of $525 million from the government of Israel. It is expected to begin production at the 45-nm manufacturing node on 300-mm diameter wafers. Production is expected to start in the second half of 2008.

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How ironic - they (Intel) recently announced they would 'downsize' approximately 13,000 employees here in my town.