Intel has said it will shut five "older" factories, affecting some 6,000 employees, in order to better "align its manufacturing capacity to current market conditions."
The chip maker will close two assembly test plants in Malaysia and one in the Philippines, as well as a 200mm wafer fabrication plant in Oregon and the D2 wafer production operations in California in the US. The closures will take place between now and 2009.
Intel stressed that its 45-nanometre and 32-nanometre capacity would not be affected by the closures.
While the factories employ between 5,000 and 6,000 workers, Intel said not all would lose their jobs and some would find roles at other facilities.
The news comes as Intel is rumoured to be cutting processor prices in half and a week after the firm posted a 90 per cent fall in quarterly profit.
