Intel have just recently taken another big leap forward, having set up their third manufacturing facility in Leixlip, Ireland dedicated to high-volume chip production using 65nm process technology.

The official announcement resides here folks.

LEIXLIP, Ireland, June 22, 2006 - Extending its leadership in chip making technology, Intel Corporation today opened an advanced, high-volume semiconductor manufacturing facility in Leixlip, Ireland. The event marks Intel's third chip factory using its advanced 65nm process technology and the industry's first chip factory in Europe producing 65nm chips in high volume.

The US$2 billion factory has begun high-volume production using 65nm process technology produced on the industry's largest wafer size (300mm), which provides the Intel fab with the potential to generate the world's highest microprocessor output at the lowest cost. Along with Intel's Fab 12 in Arizona and D1D fab in Oregon, the new facility (called Fab 24-2) is the most technologically advanced, high-volume semiconductor manufacturing plant in the world building multi-core microprocessors.