Intel names Fortinet as first public foundry customer

Intel will produce processors for Fortinet firewalls, marking a notable step for the company’s foundry business, which manufactures chips for other companies based on custom designs. Fortinet is the first foundry customer Intel has publicly named.

Fortinet, a Nasdaq-listed supplier of data center firewall appliances, currently uses a custom chip called the SP5 in its newest systems. Intel will help design and manufacture its successor, the SP6, using the Intel 4 process that debuted in 2022. The companies did not disclose the chip’s specifications.

The partnership could expand beyond the SP6. Fortinet’s advanced firewalls also use a content processor for cybersecurity tasks and another custom chip for auxiliary networking work, while its switches and Wi-Fi access points may also benefit from custom silicon.

Intel has signaled that more foundry commitments could arrive during the second half of 2026, driven by demand for Intel 18A. The company says the process can deliver 18% more computing capacity than its predecessor or a 38% decrease in electricity use, while Apple and Nvidia are reportedly evaluating Intel 18A-P for possible chips in 2028.