How Intel’s New Fab is Turning Columbus into a Tech Hub
Update / Note: Image created by ChatGPT
Intel’s decision to build a new factory in Greater Columbus is expected to transform the technology industry in Ohio. The $20 billion investment in Licking County is the most significant single private-sector investment in Ohio history, and the initial phase is expected to create 3,000 Intel jobs and 7,000 construction jobs over the course of the build. At full buildout, the total investment in the site could grow to as much as $100 billion over the next decade, making it one of the largest semiconductor manufacturing sites in the world.
The average Intel employee salary is $130,000, and for each job Intel creates, 13 more jobs will be created indirectly, significantly higher than the industry average of 5.7 jobs. Initial estimates suggest that the new fab will indirectly create 39,000 new jobs.
With the new Intel fab set to come online in 2025, it’s expected to attract dozens of ecosystem partners and suppliers needed to provide local support for Intel’s operations, from semiconductor equipment and materials suppliers to a range of service providers. Investments made by these suppliers will not only benefit Ohio but will also have a significant economic impact on the broader U.S. semiconductor ecosystem. Air Products, Applied Materials, LAM Research, and Ultra Clean Technology have already indicated plans to establish a physical presence in the region to support the buildout of the site.
The area around Columbus already has data centers operated by Facebook and Amazon. But, the move from Intel triggered an immense wave of tech investment in the area, turning Columbus, Ohio, into the fastest-growing tech hub in the United States.
Below is a list of most recent investment announcements:
- 6/21/21 – Nationwide Children’s Hospital continues to expand, spending $3.3 billion on a new 12-story hospital tower and three other facilities. Learn more on Dispatch.com.
- 1/21/22 – Intel Announces Next US Site in Ohio with an investment of $20 billion to $100 billion over the next decade. Learn more at Intel.com
- 1/22/22 – Columbus Airport Authority has outlined plans for a new John Glenn terminal to replace the existing terminal and set an opportunity for expansion. Learn more on Dispatch.com
- 4/21/22 – Facebook’s Meta announces expansion of New Albany data center. Learn more on nbc4i.com
- 5/5/22 – SemCorp announced their EV battery manufacturing facility in Sidney, Ohio – 75 miles west of Columbus, creating nearly 1,200 jobs with $73 million in annual payroll and $916 million in capital investment. Learn more on Reuters.com/Semcorp
- 9/19/22 – Starlab – Ohio State Announced it was chosen as the research home for Starlab’s George Washington Carver Science Park Terrestrial. Learn more on osuairport.org
- 10/11/22 – Honda announced its $4.4 billion Honda – LG battery plant going in Jeffersonville, Ohio, only 40 miles southwest of Columbus. Learn more at Hondanews.com
- 1/17/23 – Amazon spends $117M on 400 acres near Intel in New Albany as city preps tech park. This is in addition to the 112+ acres that Amazon bought just south of the area back in April 2020. Learn more on Yahoo Finance
- 3/6/23 – OhioHealth to build $600 million facility at Riverside to care for women and families. Learn more on Dispatch.com
- 3/13/23 – Invenergy, a worldwide developer, owner, and operator of sustainable energy solutions, revealed plans to invest $600 million in a new location in Pataskala, Ohio, approximately 22 miles east of Columbus. The facility, expected to begin operations by the end of 2023, will bring 850 new jobs. Learn more on nbc4i.com
- 5/3/23 – Google announced it is building two more data centers in Columbus and Lancaster to complement the one already in New Albany. Learn more on Dispatch.com
- 6/5/23 – Microsoft purchased 183 acres in western Licking County to build a new data center. Learn more on NewarkAdvocate.com
- 9/28/23 – Amazon’s renewable energy projects impact local communities around the world, including Southern Ohio. Learn more on AboutAmazon.com
- 10/31/23 – Microsoft purchased 290 additional acres for $30.7 M in Pataskala adding to its already robust land holding in Licking County. Learn more on Columbus Bussiness First
- 12/16/24: Amazon Web Services (AWS) plans to invest an additional $10 billion in central Ohio by the end of 2029, adding to its already significant investment in the region. Learn more on governor.ohio.gov
- 1/16/25: Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, will build a $1.8 billion, 5-million-square-foot factory in Columbus, Ohio, to manufacture autonomous drones and other high-tech military technology. This massive project, called “Arsenal 1”, is expected to create over 4,000 jobs by 2035 and add $2 billion annually to Ohio’s economy. Learn more on Dispatch.com
