Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan Calls Foundry a National Treasure as External Customers Knock on Door

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan described the company's foundry business as a key national treasure during a recent interview on CNBC. He emphasized the strategic importance of bringing advanced processor manufacturing back to the United States. Tan noted that currently, over 90 percent of the most advanced processors are manufactured outside the country. This perspective frames Intel's foundry efforts as a critical component of national industrial capability.

CEO emphasizes bringing advanced processor manufacturing back to the United States

The company reported significant progress on its 18A process node. Intel achieved yield improvement rates of 7 to 8 percent per month, matching the industry standard. This improvement allows Panther Lake CPUs to ship in volume. The company also highlighted its 14A process node, which targets 1.4-nanometer technology. Risk production for this node is scheduled for 2028, with volume production following in 2029.

Intel plans to launch its 14A node at the same time as TSMC's equivalent 1.4nm technology. The company has made PDK 0.5 available for external customers and is rolling out PDK 0.9 soon. Multiple customers are already engaged with the 14A node. Intel also stated that its EMIB advanced packaging technology has reached 90 percent yields. Some customers have prepaid for substrates due to tight supply chains, demonstrating strong commitment to the foundry services.

Demand for Intel's manufacturing capacity is growing significantly. Tan cited an example of a customer requesting a threefold increase in their forecast. He indicated that this demand is driven by the needs of the next couple of years rather than short-term fluctuations. Intel is working to scale production to meet this long-term growth. The company has not disclosed specific external customers for the 18A and 14A nodes due to a personal policy of non-disclosure.