Fishing for chips

When Intel announced it was building a semiconductor factory in Miękinia in Lower Silesia, it was good news not only for the Polish warehouse sector but also for the local economy. The USD 4.6 bln project could be the biggest foreign direct investment so far in Poland. Just as importantly, around 2,000 highly skilled workers should find employment at the Intel Integration and Testing Semiconductor Plant, with a further 10,000 jobs likely to be created indirectly. The construction of the factory by the Silicon Valley giant also aligns with the EU’s policy aimed at ending its dependence on chips imported from Asia, but the investment itself is only a drop in the ocean in terms of the EU’s desire to expand its microprocessor industry. Around the middle of this year, the European Chips Act was passed, which is aimed at kickstarting a flurry of both public and private investment in semiconductor development in Europe. The volumes are estimated at EUR 43 bln, of which EUR 3.3 b