Intel China invests 55 hundred million dollar in producing 96 layers 3D NAND flash in Dalian

      Memory chip business will take more proportion in Intel’s business transition, even though the driving force of income are client and the master data processor. In terms of flash memory, Inter has formed a joint venture with micron to build IMFT; however, IMFT gives priority to Micron now. When the fourth generation 3D NAND flash memory as well as second generation 3X flash memory finished, both of Intel and Micron will research and produce flash memory chips separately. Intel announced that it invested 55 hundred billion dollar in the fab68 in Dalian, China three years ago. The secondary fab is mainly producing 3D NAND flash with 96-layer stack.

Samsung owns 37% shares in global NAND flash market, Toshelloba at about 20% and Western Digital at 15%, followed by Micron, SK and Hynix, while Intel owns less than 10%, which is the least in six companies. Therefore, Intel is aim for enterprise rather than consumer with NAND flash and SSD, who’s influence is not a patch on Samsung, Toshelloba and Micron. The root of the problem is Intel can’t produce NAND flash independently.

In 2005, Intel announced it would build a secondary fab in Dalian, China to produce NAND flash, with a total investment of no more than 55 hundred billion dollar. As the construction finished three years later and secondary Fab 68 in use, Intel’s production in 3D NAND will increase greatly in the future.

Intel and the Dalian government came to an agreement that the12 inches fab, which costs 25 hundred billion dollar, will be used to processor package test and be finished in 2010.

The fab 68 in Dalian will be the production base of Intel’s NAND flash, and 70% NAND flash will be produced there. But on 3D XPoint flash, Intel is moving the research and development base to Rio Rancho in Mexico, which is expected to add more than one hundred operating posts.

3D XPoint is mainly produced in Utah by Intel and Micro, both of which will work together to complete the technique development of 3D XPoint, and it will be finished and sold in the first half of 2019. After that, they will break up, developing third-generation of 3D XPoint products separately.