Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[sgolds]

CombJelly, chipguy, blasting -

Building on top of an existing building does not require blasting, so that old expansion should not have bothered production. Whether or not a new building requires blasting depends on the ground conditions there - is there bedrock in the way? If the subsoil is silt, then it can all be done with bulldozers and such. I'm certainly not familiar with the intimate geology of Dresden so I don't know what is required.

The other big cause of earth movement - earthquakes - should not be a big consideration in central Europe. Actually, earthquakes can happen anywhere, although most frequent on the faults at the edge of tectonic plates. When they happen, production in progress can be greatly affected but the lessons from Taiwan are that only wafers at critical stages need to be trashed. The equipment itself is brought back up and running in a few days.