Chipzilla has signed an agreement to take over the chip-making plant owned by Micron in Kiryat Gat in Israel. Apparently it means that “most of Micron’s staff” will be kept. Intel built the plant 15 years ago, but developed a much larger facility next door and flogged it to Micron.

It is believed that the Micron plant and its staff are expected to form the basis of a new plant producing 10-micron chips. Maxine Fassberg, vice president of Intel’s worldwide technology and manufacturing group, in a letter to Micron employees that the current deal with Micron once more expresses Intel long-standing commitment to Intel Israel and the State of Israel. Fassberg, who also heads the company’s Fab 28 plant in Kiryat Gat, declined to say how the plant would fit into Intel Israel’s expansion plans.

Under the agreement, offered jobs at Intel to 800 employees now on the Micron payroll, as well to hire 130 more on a temporary basis. Micron Israel currently employs 1,000 people and employs several hundred more through manpower agencies. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval, but is expected to get the nod.