Intel optimistic about China as new plant opens

Intel’s new US$2.5 billion semiconductor manufacturing plant has opened in Dalian and will work in conjunction with a testing and assembly factory in Vietnam, making chipsets using 12-inch wafers. It will employ 1,500 workers.
This has been planned for a long time and the opening unfortunately coincides with a downturn in the global semiconductor industry.
However, there is still strong growth in China and Intel’s CEO, Paul Otellini, said the new plant would help Intel better serve its customers in Asia – where the customer base is still quickly expanding, according to figures from IDC.
TechEYE.net reports IDC has forecast PC shipments will grow 25% in China this year. If this is correct, China will overtake the US as the world’s largest PC market by shipments by 2012. Which gives a logical reason for the construction of the new Dalian plant.