From: The Star Online.

GEORGE TOWN: Intel Inc, the world’s largest chip maker, plans to close the assembly, test and development unit at its Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP) facility within a year.

Intel sources told StarBiz that four senior executives made the announcement on Tuesday to about 500 workers who would be affected by the move.

Three of them were vice-presidents in charge of technology and manufacturing – Robin A. Martin, Babak Sabi and Nasser Bozorg-Grayeli. The fourth was director of sort test technology development Navid Shahriari.

According to the sources, Intel would gradually close the unit over the next 12 months.

The work done at the KHTP facility would be transferred back to the US to be close to Intel’s wafer fabrication plant in Arizona.

The affected workers would be redeployed for other job functions at the KHTP and Penang facilities.

Sources said the affected staff included managers and engineers.

The assembly, test, and development unit in KHTP is responsible for developing, testing, and packaging chipsets.

At press time, no Intel official was available for comment.

Last December, Intel Malaysia officially opened its US$230mil Kulim Microprocessor and Chipset Operations facility at KHTP.

The facility is earmarked by Intel as an important focus for its next-generation 32-nanometer processors and chipsets.

To date, Intel has invested more than US$3.7bil in Malaysia.