Intel Corp. said it has re-opened its semiconductor manufacturing facility in Chandler, Arizona after it had been converted to manufacture chips using 65nm process technology using industry’s largest 300mm wafers. The company indicates that its Fab 12 improves the company’s abilities to manufacture its products, but does not say which products are to be made at the foundry.

The Fab 12 conversion project, which began in 2004 and cost roughly $2 billion, was completed in approximately 18 months. Fab 12 is Intel’s fifth fab using 300mm wafers. While the Fab 12 was offline, Intel relocated 800 members of the experienced staff to its other production facilities across the world, the company said.

“The re-opening of Fab 12 marks a first for Intel and the semiconductor industry,” said Bob Baker, senior vice president, general manger, Intel technology and manufacturing group. “The conversion of an existing factory to leading-edge technology – both larger wafer size and most advanced semiconductor technology – further adds to manufacturing capability and improves our ability to better serve our customers.”

Intel said that the fab will produce its multi-core processors, however, did not indicate which exactly. To date, Intel began volume manufacturing and commercial shipments of its dual-core Intel Pentium D processor code-named Presler, which is made using 65nm process technology. However, Intel did not indicate whether its mobile dual-core chip called Yonah entered mass production.