Globalfoundries, a joint-venture between Advanced Micro Devices and Advanced Technology Investment Company, on Tuesday said has issued the formal commitment letter to the State of New York for the construction of the Fab 2 project at the Luther Forest Technology Campus (LFTC).

“It was three years ago this month that we announced plans to build and operate the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing facility in the world in upstate New York. Over the course of that time we have worked hard to develop this project while reinventing our overall business strategy and ultimately launching Globalfoundries as a new company,” said Hector Ruiz, chairman of Globalfoundries.

The letter officially initiates the construction phase of the Fab 2 project and triggers the State of New York to begin the process of issuing bonds for the payment of reimbursements and incentives to the company for the development of the estimated $4.2 billion semiconductor wafer fabrication facility.

The construction project is expected to take approximately two years to complete and an additional 12 to 18 months to ramp to full operating mode, with volume production anticipated in roughly 2012. The total capital budget for this project is estimated at approximately $4.2 billion, including local construction expenditures of approximately $800 million.

The Fab 2 project is expected to create approximately 1400 new direct semiconductor manufacturing jobs at full scale production with an estimated annual payroll of more than $88 million. In addition, the project is expected to create approximately 5000 new indirect jobs in the region with a sustained estimated total annual payroll of $290 million per year for all jobs. Construction is expected to create approximately 1600 new construction jobs, plus an additional 2700 local construction-related jobs.

Originally known as AMD Fab 4x, the Fab 2 launch is delayed by two years compared to the original plan. The fab will process 300mm wafers, however, the exact capacity is unknown. At present Globalfoundries, which currently only makes chips for AMD, operates Fab 1 modules 1 and 2 in Dresden, Germany.

“New York is in position to lead the nation in the New Economy. This project represents exactly the type of innovation and cutting-edge technology that will give our state a critical advantage moving forward. It is also the largest public-private sector industrial investment in New York State history, with thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars in capital expenditures, which will have an incredible impact," said Governor David Paterson.

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