GlobalFoundries has broken ground on a 300mm fab in Malta, New York, to expand U.S. chip capacity for automotive, industrial and connected infrastructure markets. The facility is the first new semiconductor manufacturing site planned for Malta under a U.S.-Japan initiative.
The groundbreaking follows GF’s October 14, 2026, announcement that it was selected to provide the technology and operate two new fabs at the Malta site. The initiative provides up to $21 billion in funding, with Japan supplying the investment and GF contributing its technologies, manufacturing expertise and operational capabilities. An initial investment of approximately $10 billion, supported by $570 million in New York State incentives, is accelerating construction of the first fab, which is expected to come online in 2029. An additional investment of approximately $10 billion will support a second fab as the project advances.
When fully operational, the first fab is expected to add approximately 900,000 300mm wafers of annual U.S. manufacturing capacity. The second fab is expected to add approximately the same amount. The two-fab initiative is also expected to create about 27,000 construction and ecosystem jobs and more than 1,000 high-skilled manufacturing jobs in New York’s Capital Region. GF is working with schools, colleges, universities and workforce development organizations to develop semiconductor talent for the region’s growth.
Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries, said the initiative brings together the strengths of the United States, Japan and GF to expand trusted semiconductor manufacturing. He said the company aims to provide the capacity, technology and supply chain resilience its customers and both nations need.
