This week the final piece of a very unique project came into place at last. TI announced that the 220,000 square foot Richardson Fab (RFAB) is open for business. Pending final regulatory approval and other conditions, TI will acquire a large quantity of 300mm manufacturing tools from a bankrupt manufacturer - a reminder that even in tough times, opportunities exist.
RFAB has been quite a topic of interest over the past several years. It was built in the US instead of overseas. It was the first fab in the world to be certified with a Gold rating under the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. It was featured in Thomas Freidman's "Addicted to Oil" documentary and in his New York Times column. It's been toured by thousands of people, including a number of other semiconductor companies who hope to replicate the resource saving features. Some at those companies doubted we could build a two level fab and fit all the equipment in. We can, we did, and we will fit everything in nicely. And the building was built for the lowest capital cost of any fab in the last decade or more, which puzzled those who think that building sustainably has to cost more.
Yesterday we opened the first 300mm analog fab in the world. It's only fitting that the TI technology that enables products to make, move, and use energy more efficiently is built in one of the most efficient fabs in the world.
The other night as I was leaving the site I saw one of our engineers carrying boxes in the parking lot. Many people in the US have carried boxes this past year - but mostly out of their jobs. This time he was carrying them into the building. And it reminded me what made all this possible. People. People who dared to dream big. People who decided things could be done better and took responsibility to create the future. People who were persistent and patient as they worked to help others see their vision. People who listened, learned, laughed, and loved being a part of something great. And I was reminded how fortunate I am to be able to work with those people - here at TI. The TI spirit of innovation is alive and well.
Paul Westbrook
Sustainable Development Manager, SMTS, LEED AP
Original publication date: 10/01/2009
