Intel Wins First External Foundry Order With Fortinet FortiSP6 Chip

Intel has secured its first major external manufacturing contract under CEO Chris Pappas, signaling a potential turning point for its foundry business. This partnership with Fortinet for the FortiSP6 chip matters because it proves Intel can deliver advanced process technology to enterprise clients beyond its own internal needs. The deal moves Intel away from solely serving its own design teams and into the competitive external market.

Fortinet moves FortiSP6 production to Intel 4 process node

The FortiSP6 is a dedicated security chip designed for Fortinet's cybersecurity infrastructure. Intel will manufacture this application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) using its Intel 4 process node. This node is technically equivalent to a 7nm class manufacturing process, offering a balance of performance and power efficiency suitable for network security tasks.

Fortinet previously manufactured its predecessor chip, the FortiSP5, using TSMC's 7nm process. This shift to Intel 4 marks a significant change in Fortinet's supply chain strategy. The move allows Fortinet to diversify its manufacturing sources and potentially benefit from Intel's specific process optimizations for cost-sensitive ASICs.

Intel's foundry division reported approximately $17 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2025 but has faced operating losses exceeding $10 billion for two consecutive years. Securing a contract with a major cybersecurity vendor like Fortinet provides a crucial revenue stream that helps offset these operational deficits. This win demonstrates that Intel's foundry services are beginning to attract serious enterprise adoption despite recent financial challenges.

We looked at Intel Cuts European Fabs, Accelerates Arizona in our earlier Intel coverage, noting the company's broader strategic pivots during this period. The FortiSP6 deal complements those efforts by showing Intel can still win external business while restructuring its global manufacturing footprint. This partnership validates the technical viability of Intel 4 for non-PC enterprise applications.