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AMD Receives $683M for Dresden Plant

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the chips-of-the-future dept.

Cocooner writes "Infoworld has an article explaining how AMD received $683 million in grants from Germany and the state of Saxony for its next-generation microprocessor wafer facility. The new plant will be located in Dresden, adjacent to Fab 30 and will be called Fab 36. It will be the first AMD 300mm manufacturing facility."

11 of 277 comments (clear)

  1. ROI? by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "The new Dresden facility ... will employ 1,000 local workers when it is completed"

    Why would the government give a $683M break to AMD to get 1000 jobs? That's two thirds of a million bucks per job. It's amazing that a $2B facility can be staffed by only 1000 people.

    -B

    1. Re:ROI? by Xeth · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That may seem initially true, but there are bound to me massive general economic effects from employing 1000 highly skilled workers and their families, and all the increased support business that would come up around them.

      --
      If your theory is different from practice, then your theory is wrong.
    2. Re:ROI? by MadAnthony02 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Why would the government give a $683M break to AMD to get 1000 jobs? That's two thirds of a million bucks per job.

      Well, first of all it's in grants and allowances, so the governemnt probably doesn't look at it as "real money" - and I'm guessing it's probably spread out over a long period of time, ie tax breaks for the next x years.

      Secondly, they are probably figuring that the plant will make suppliers and customers of AMD move nearby, thus providing more jobs and taxes. It's debateable if this actually works, but that's probably their thought process.

      --
      I have blog like everyone else
    3. Re:ROI? by sjwt · · Score: 5, Insightful

      no, but the other 2billion Euro's that AMD is spending will stay in the german ecconomy..

      So the govermnet spends 600millon,
      to put a total of 2.5 billion in the ecconomy.

      you are right, its not 1 becomes 2,
      its 1 becomes 4.

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    4. Re:ROI? by christophe · · Score: 4, Insightful

      >Why would the government give a $683M break to >AMD to get 1000 jobs? That's two thirds of a >million bucks per job. It's amazing that a $2B >facility can be staffed by only 1000 people

      Germans don't care about the 1000 people working there, they care about:
      - the other $1.4B that will come and will be spent in Germany for a good part,
      - the thousands people needed to build a high-tech plant,
      - the hundreds of firms and thousands people needed to provide (high tech) "raw" materials, and provide outsourced services to the plant (food, cleaning, software, maintenance, tools...) : do not forget that Germans are good at making tools and chemical products (which such a plant really need),
      - the money that will go through their banks,
      - the fact that this part of country really need jobs (previous Eastern Germany, 20% unemployment).

      BTW: If you have an opportunity to visit this part of Germany, do no hesitate. Dresedn was totally destroyed in February 1945, but the Communists really succeeded in building it again [about their only success], and the area is very nice.

      --
      Christophe (Don't hesitate to point out my spelling and grammar mistakes, I want to learn - Thanks).
    5. Re:ROI? by I+Be+Hatin' · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Not really, let's say they're each making 50k. 50 million a year. It stays 50 million a year, no matter how many people become the beneficiaries. Money isn't magical, one euro doesn't magically become two because another business moves into the neighborhood in order to serve the workers.

      And what do they do with that 50 million a year? Stuff it under their mattresses? No, they spend it in the local economy, buying food, clothes, etc. for their families... and the local government gets a cut via the sales tax. Further, this increased spending on necessities and luxuries of life spawns the need for new workers, who receive a paycheck... and the government gets a cut via the income tax. And with this money, they spend it in the local economy... and the local government gets a cut via the sales tax. And so forth. So yes, money is magical as far as the government is concerned, since they get a cut out of any transaction.

      Now, the above assumes that all new workers have to move to Dresden from other areas. But the same statements are true if the new workers are local residents who are receiving a lower salary (in which case it's less than 50 million, of course) or unemployed, which actually doubles the benefit, as they're no longer receiving public assistance.

      --
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  2. think back! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "...AMD received $683 million in grants from Germany and the state of Saxony for its next-generation microprocessor wafer facility."

    it's not like AMD is gonna change the money into
    euro coins and stack them to make a nice looking
    factory made from coins, no sir.

    the question really is:
    who owned the land before AMD bought it (tax?).
    who is building the factory(tax?).
    who is supplying power(tax?).
    who is building the generators that produce
    the needed electricity(tax?).
    who gets to have a peek at the technology (know-how) once complet(no tax!) :)
    who gets know-how for building a chip
    producing factory? (def. more to come!)
    etc.

    this is a micro investment and the reward is def.
    going to pay off as long as people have to use
    computers (e.g. no telepathy available).

  3. Re:In Socialist Germany by selderrr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    it has been tried. it's called communism. it failed. miserably.

    --
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  4. Re:In Socialist Germany by BenjyD · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because this way creates 1000 skilled jobs directly in the area, which increases tax income and reduces unemployment payments. The local economy is helped by the money from the jobs, other companies (builders, suppliers etc) in the area benefit. All round the area's economy improves. This is about long-term growth, not the short term benefits.

    It is the job of the government, after all, to improve the lot of its people.

  5. Re:What about returns ?? by tempfile · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Eastern Germany suffers from extreme unemployment (up to 20% in some areas) and has been in an economical crisis since the wall came down. The unemployment is the reason for the collapsing German welfare state.

    Creating jobs and building an industry should be the #1 East German priority. The government did the right thing.

  6. It's rarely remarkable by Duhavid · · Score: 5, Insightful

    when a US company builds a US factory.

    In the same way it would not be remarkable when a German company built a German factory, nor when an Indian company built an Indian factory.

    It is a bit more remarkable when the US business drones without brains build another facility outside the US, then complain that US consumers arent buying it's products. Everyone is worried about the "jobless recovery", but they fail to point the fingers at themselves for shipping the jobs ( and salaries ) overseas. Mind you, I am not nessesarily of the "protectionist" mindset, but it does seem that some moderation is called for.

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