In a strategic partnership marked as a significant milestone for the expansion of its manufacturing services, semiconductor giant Intel and cybersecurity firm Fortinet have announced an agreement to co-develop the next-generation Fortinet Security Processor 6 (SP6). Notably, Fortinet has selected Intel as the first external customer for the Intel 4 process node. This deal is particularly important as it secures a major client in a sector tangential to Intel’s core x86 franchise, thereby advancing the company's diversification efforts beyond its traditional CPU business.
The collaboration extends well beyond simple fabrication; it involves comprehensive integration of Intel’s advanced design, packaging, and manufacturing capabilities. Fortinet will leverage Intel's established EUV-based technology to produce its custom Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). This close cooperation highlights the industry's growing trust in Intel's custom silicon services, positioning the chipmaker not merely as a manufacturer but as an integral partner throughout the entire development lifecycle of critical security chips.
For Intel Foundry, this agreement serves as a strategic reference and validation of its capabilities outside internal production. Although the deal utilizes proven technology rather than the absolute leading-edge nodes, it demonstrates the appeal of Intel's offerings to external customers in the realm of business-critical ASICs. This represents a decisive step toward an independent foundry division aiming to capture market share in specialized semiconductor manufacturing and expand the ecosystem surrounding Intel technologies.