Nope, Apple won’t manufacture servers at AZ center

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Apple isn't making iCloud servers in the US.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple says it has no plans to manufacture high-tech servers in the USA, despite a recent report claiming the iPhone-maker applied for permission to do “high-tech manufacturing” at its site in Mesa, Arizona.

The Mesa center was previously the home of Apple’s ex-sapphire supplier that went bankrupt in 2014. Instead of seeking permission to manufacture on the site, Apple clarified that it is actually just applying to renew the original Foreign Trade-Zone status of the location that brings some big tax benefits.

The original report on Apple’s application claimed the company would manufacture data farm servers to be used internally. Apple reached out to TechCrunch and explained that no products will be manufactured at the site.

“Its intention is for Mesa to become a global command hub for its data center operations,” reports TechCrunch. “Meaning the site will be used as the central location where it receives and configures servers, assembling them into racks, before distributing the units for use in its various data centers.”

The global command hub still isn’t operational. Apple says the only production at the site will be to configure the servers and then shipping them out to Apple’s other sites around the world.

Even though Apple won’t be bringing server manufacturing jobs to AZ, the company claims that 33 different US states contribute to the making of Apple products. It’s previous annual suppliers report includes 69 manufacturing facilities in the US that make components for iOS devices and the Mac.

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