Cranes dot the skyline at Chandler’s Intel Ocotillo campus, as the company continues construction on two new chip factories, part of a $20 billion dollar expansion.
Intel has been in Arizona since 1979 and is currently home to 12,000 employees.
“They keep it clean, their grounds are clean, they’re good neighbors,” said Bob Harvey, who has lived across the street from the campus for 23 years.
“I missed a red light and went in there one day, and thought I was in a different town,” Harvey said. “It’s like a city in there.”
But despite the outward signs of growth, Intel is currently laying-off workers across the board. In recent statements, CEO Pat Gelsinger says they’re trimming operation costs to offset a downturn in PC sales and a sluggish economy.
In a statement to ABC15, the company did not indicate how many Chandler employees are being let go.
“Organizations across Intel are working to make tough decisions, but ultimately looking for opportunities to drive efficiencies. We are not disclosing a number."
Intel is committed to innovating and investing in Arizona, as we’ve done for more than 40 years. Intel has invested more than $30 billion in capital to support our Arizona operations, and we continue to make progress on the two new factories under construction at our Ocotillo campus.”
“My neighbor worked for them and she loved them. Said they were a good company,” Harvey recalled.
As for the job cut announcement,
“It’s tough every place,” Harvey said. “Companies pretty much have to do what they have to do,” he said.
The current campus expansion was slated to bring 3,000 new jobs to the Ocotillo Campus. While Intel hasn’t said if that number will hold, Harvey is optimistic.
“I think they’ll be putting people back to work, and probably hiring several people,” he said.
