GlobalFoundries has confirmed that it has made "adjustments" to its workforce at Fab 8, the company's flagship manufacturing facility in Malta, Saratoga County, New York, according to an August 25 report by the Times Union. The move comes as the chipmaker pushes ahead with a $16 billion expansion of its operations in New York and Vermont, supported by a $1.5 billion CHIPS Act grant.

The company employs about 2,300 people at the Luther Forest Technology Campus, where Fab 8 produces advanced semiconductors for applications ranging from smartphones and data centers to automobiles and aerospace. GlobalFoundries did not disclose how many employees or which roles were affected, saying only that the changes are aimed at "driving efficiency, enhancing operational productivity, and building critical skills and capabilities."

While some online reports have suggested recent layoffs, industry observers noted that the adjustments appear more aligned with structural optimization than broad-based job cuts. Over the past year, Fab 8 has added around 150 process engineers focused on 12-inch wafer technologies while reducing roughly 80 traditional assembly positions, largely through automation. The shift has lowered labor costs per wafer and boosted yields, positioning the facility for higher-value orders.

Fab 8 has increasingly become a hub for next-generation chip production, supplying advanced nodes such as 7nm and below. In the first half of 2025, output of AI GPU wafers for Nvidia grew 40% year-on-year, while shipments of automotive sensor chips for Tesla rose 35%.

The workforce changes also come amid heightened attention on U.S. semiconductor subsidies. Following the U.S. government's recent equity purchase in Intel, GlobalFoundries stressed that its own $1.5 billion CHIPS Act funding remains "well intact" and does not involve any equity component.

Earlier this month, GlobalFoundries announced an expanded partnership with Apple to strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. Together with its $16 billion expansion plan, the collaboration underlines the company's efforts to scale advanced manufacturing and packaging capacity in the U.S.

GlobalFoundries, which went public in 2021, is currently the world's fifth-largest foundry by revenue. In Q1 2025, it reported sales of $1.58 billion, down 13.9% quarter-on-quarter, but still delivered a profit of $228 million as industry demand rebounded.