Intel’s products are available in right around %85 of the PCs manufactured every day, and with that number hitting and exceeding the 1 million units landmark, more firepower is required. This is exactly why Intel invested no less than $1 billion in an assembly and testing plant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The plant, operational as of this June, represents the biggest unit in Intel’s global manufacturing network and has apparently done more than just producing chips. It also attracted some of the biggest names in the industry to the once IT-desolate country.

“I’ve been told that Intel’s investment helped put Vietnam on the map for high-tech investment and helped the country attract significant investments from several leading global technology firms, including Foxconn and Compal…”

As quoted from Intel CEO Paul Otellini, the factory aligned to an array of smaller ones all around the world from China to Costa Rica provided a substantial push for the nation in terms of enterprise appeal, perhaps even proving this somewhat unknown workforce’s reliability – from more than one aspect – to other industry leaders.

Apparently, the trend to branch off manufacturing to locations other than the veteran China and India is indeed growing into serious development, simultaneously offering Vietnam a promising glimpse into a possible future. Every big thing started out small, but when a country gets to host the $1 billion worth largest Intel plant ever, its odds to increase in the global arena rise drastically.

Intel’s pushing demand for its own products with high hopes for a number of initiatives worldwide.  The company is expanding plants and offices in the Middle East and Oregon, raising questions around its reasons for layoffs in other areas of the company.