Despite the rumours, not denied nor confirmed by authorities in Costa Rica, over the possible departure from the country of U.S. giant Intel, the daily La Nacion says it has it on good authority that Intel will stay, transforming its operations and reducing staff by almost half.
The report says that “well informed” sources speaking to La Nacion say that Intel will maintain its plant in Belén, but with 1.500 fewer employees.
The reduction of employees is in the manufacturing division. The company is expected to move the microchip assembly operations to Asia, gradually, this year.
According to La Nacion, in Costa Rica Intel will maintain its engineering and design operations, with 1.200 employees and add 200 new jobs in its Global Services Area division.
The Intel decision is in response to the company’s global restructuring to improve competitiveness and not on speculations that the move was prompted by Costa Rica’s high energy costs and political reasons, for the change in government.
But, the company and Chinchilla government officials are keeping quiet on the subject.
Karla Blanco, Intel’s director of Corporate Affairs, said “the Intel Coporation has been characterized by transparency and openness with the press. We will not refer to assumptions, and when we have something to report, we will do that”.