The Intel Corp. announced Friday that it is donating $17.5 million worth of computer manufacturing equipment to Next Generation Economy Inc., an Albuquerque economic-development group.
A portion of the donated equipment will soon be set up at UNM’s Manufacturing Training and Technology Center.
Larry Willard, chairman of Next Generation’s board of directors and president of the UNM Board of Regents, said the donation may eventually lead to a new microelectronics factory being built in the city.
“Next Generation has a vision to be the global center of the microelectronics industry,” Willard said. “It is vital to utilize the resources available through local universities to see that vision to fruition.”
The 74 pieces of equipment will be used by the 48 community businesses that comprise Next Generation. The equipment will also be used by area start-up microelectronics companies.
The equipment was decommissioned by Intel after the technology giant finished building its new Fab 11X factory near Rio Rancho last year. Intel used the equipment to make microprocessors at its original Rio Rancho plant.
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The Next Generation group was started in 1999 through a U.S. Department of Energy grant to identify economic development opportunities in technology.
Albuquerque was named as a target for future business ventures after a 2000 study by the Department of Energy. The study identified a handful of technology opportunities, which exist in the region that government agencies should support.
“The capabilities that will be available through this funding will further New Mexico’s ability to remain at the forefront of technology,” said Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.)
Wilson said the enormous collaboration between the businesses in Next Generation will bring people together to accomplish things that none of them could do alone.
Bruce Leising, vice president of technology and manufacturing at Intel, said that the business has been operating in New Mexico for more than two decades and has worked on a number of community initiatives, but this donation has the potential to change the landscape of the research corridor.
According to Intel, the $14 billion microprocessor industry is expected to grow to $30 billion by 2004 worldwide.
Leising said thousands of high quality, high paying jobs are likely to form in the city from the research done at UNM and at the microelectronics factory that could come from the equipment donation.
UNM’s Manufacturing Training and Technology Center will serve as the hub of New Generation’s research and continue to serve its primary function of teaching students.
The center is primarily a facility for teaching, research, development and manufacturing prototypes, and the center’s semiconductor clean room is used to train engineers from UNM and technicians from TVI and other community colleges in semiconductor manufacturing and research.
The product of the microsystems technology that is looking to be expanded is usually smaller than the diameter of a human hair and has such widespread applications in transportation, telecommunications and medicine that the tiny machines are considered the biggest thing since the semiconductor, Leising said.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) said that the donation and formation of Next Generation speaks volumes on the tight alliance that exists among businesses in the community and that the technological opportunities that exist in New Mexico and at UNM are not being overlooked.
“The goal to be the global center of micro-technology has just moved one step closer to being realized,” Bingaman said. “UNM is at the center of this innovative technology and as a result has a huge amount to contribute and gain from this.”
