TI Opens Most Advanced Analog Manufacturing Facility In The U.S.
Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) announced the opening of its manufacturing facility in Richardson, Texas. The company expects to begin moving equipment into the facility in October.
Known as RFAB, ("R" for Richardson,"FAB" for fabrication), TI states that the fab will be the world’s only production facility to use 300-millimeter (12-inch) silicon wafers to manufacture analog chips, which are essential components in virtually all electronics. The company states that the facility will give it a strategic advantage in high-volume production because thousands of analog chips can be etched onto each of these wafers, more than double the number on the more commonly used and smaller 200-millimeter wafers.
"The time is right for this investment," said Rich Templeton, TI’s chairman, President and CEO. "Customer demand for analog chips is growing, and there’s tremendous desire to save energy and protect the environment. The chips produced here will help our customers make thousands of electronic products that are more energy-efficient. It is significant that these devices will be made here, in North Texas, in one of the industry’s most environmentally responsible fabs."
The facility will produce analog integrated circuits based on TI’s proprietary process. Customers will use these chips in electronics ranging from smartphones and netbooks, to telecom and computing systems.
Templeton said TI plans to ship the first chips from this facility by the end of 2010. When the first phase of equipment is ramped and producing at full capacity, the facility will be capable of shipping more than $1 billion worth of analog chips per year.
Hiring will begin immediately for 250 jobs in RFAB. "These are high-quality, well-paying engineering, manufacturing and administrative jobs for our North Texas region. The infrastructure that a facility like this requires will create other indirect jobs with suppliers and support services," said Templeton. "We want to thank our great partners in Richardson, Dallas, Plano and Austin who helped us make this happen," Templeton said, referring to the City of Richardson, Collin County, the Plano Independent School District and the Collin County Community College District.
RFAB has been an important model of green construction. It was the first semiconductor facility to achieve Gold certification with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
