After more than two years of discussions and preparations, Advanced Micro Devices has committed to building three computer chip fabrication plants in Luther Forest Technology Campus in Malta.

“Everyone is very excited about this new development,” Malta Town Supervisor Paul Sausville said. “This is going to be a huge project—originally it was $3.2 billion, now it’s $4.6 billion—and it will open 1,465 permanent jobs and even more in the area with construction and a growing community,” he said. “I’m told this is the biggest investment in the state right now that will transform Tech Valley and the Capital Region.”

Tech Valley is a 19-county region of eastern New York State that spans from just south of Montreal to just north of New York City.

AMD has partnered with Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) based in Abu Dhabi and created a new global company called The Foundry Company, which will run and operate the Malta facility. AMD will own 44.4 percent of the company and ATIC will own 55.6 percent.

Preparations for the arrival of the plant, such as the $22 billion Round Lake bypass project, a new water line and building five miles of roads within Luther Forrest are all on or ahead of schedule, Sausville said.

Steve Groseclose, AMD’s director of global health and safety, said the project has grown from the original plans and the partnership with ATIC was a positive move for the company and they will continue to move forward with plans and grow together as a global technology company.

“We made the decision in a time that makes sense, and we need to make a feasible plan to meet state and federal standards because now, it’s a go,” he said.

AMD had until June 2009 to make the decision to come to the Luther Forest Technology Campus and still receive a $1.2 billion incentive from the State of New York. The Foundry is hoping to break ground in spring 2009. The site should be ready to start making computer chips by 2011 or 2012.

“We will be a different Malta in 2012,” Sausville said. “We will truly be a 21st century Malta, but we have to be careful not to lose our small town charm. We have to be watchful that we grow to meet The Foundry’s needs but we don’t want to get caught up in it. Malta needs to grow in a smart fashion. The last things we want are environmental issues and traffic clogging our roads.”

All in all, however, The Foundry Company should have a positive impact in the area, creating 1,600 construction jobs in the upcoming months for both the site of the plant as well as housing construction.

The Foundry Company will contain a 180,000 square foot chip fabrication plant that will produce a 22 nanometer chip, which is two generations ahead of today’s leading chip, a 45 nanometer chip. The site will be large enough to build two additional plants in the future.

“The announcement is a major step forward in our work to make the Tech Valley Region a global center of excellence for nanotechnology and advanced technology manufacturing,” said Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, D- Hudson, in a statement. “Not only will the Fab 4X project inject billions of dollars and thousands of jobs into our economy, it will generate new research and development opportunities for our universities, attract other companies to locate in our communities and help our existing small and medium sized businesses to grow and

prosper.”