It’s apparently nearly back to business as usual at Foxconn, the company that assembles most iPhones. Its general manager says plants in China and Vietnam are once again getting the components they need.
Production had been tremendously slowed by the COVID-19 outbreak in China, but the epidemic is now nearly over in that country.
Apple’s top supplier is promising to start production at its Wisconsin plant sometime in 2020, even though the company already fell short of previous goals.
Foxconn founder Terry Gou made some vague promises about the plant to employees at a party in Taipei earlier this month. Gou, who secured $4 billion in tax incentives for the plant, said he plans to spend a lot of time in the United States this year and wants key employees to come with him.
Foxconn, Apple’s oldest and largest supplier, has announced its new boss. Young Liu will step into the role of chairman after billionaire founder Terry Gou announced that he was stepping down.
Gou, who is 68 years old, is planning to run as a candidate in the 2020 presidential election in the Taiwanese elections.
Foxconn CEO Terry Gou visited President Donald Trump at the White House yesterday. Foxconn, which was founded by Gou, is one of Apple’s biggest manufacturers.
Gou discussed his plans to run for office in Taiwan, where he hopes to become president in next year’s elections. He assured Trump that he would be a friendly partner of the U.S. if elected. “If I am elected, I would be seeking to go to Washington,” he reportedly told the U.S. President.
Departing Foxconn chairman Terry Gou is reportedly heading to the U.S. where he will have a meeting at the White House. The subject of the meeting will be Foxconn’s plans to open a factory in Wisconsin.
Foxconn maintains that it’s working hard to deliver the factory it received $4 billion in tax breaks for. However, behind-the-scenes dealings suggest that the company may be trying to renegotiate terms.
Foxconn swears its committed to bringing 13,000 jobs to Wisconsin just two days after the state’s governor said it wants out from its deal with the Taiwanese company.
Wisconsin governor Tony Evers, who inherited the deal when he took over office in January, said recently that he wants to renegotiate the parameters of the deal that gives Foxconn $4 billion in tax breaks. Not wanting to miss out on all those incentives, Foxconn is adamant about maintaining its course.
How a Foxconn factory in Wisconsin takes shape depends on what day of the week it is.
Today, company CEO Terry Gou is committing to a “Gen 6 fab facility” in the dairy state after having a “personal conversation with President Donald Trump.
How many jobs will come with a Gen 6 fab facility or what exactly it will build is not known. A Gen 6 factory typically builds screens for smartphones, tablets and small televisions.
Foxconn Technologies is starting a new company in California’s Silicon Valley to concentrate on artificial intelligence for factory floor automation.
The plan comes as Foxconn looks for ways to deal with the slowdown of smartphone sales globally, demands for higher wages and a changing workforce that is sidestepping manufacturing. Foxconn assembles thousands of iPhones and iPads and is among Apple’s biggest contractors.
Foxconn could assemble even more iPhones if China eased restrictions curbing factories from abusing overtime, the company’s CEO says.
Billionaire Terry Gou says China’s rules on overtime keep workers from earning more and puts limits on Foxconn’s competitive edge.
Apple and Foxconn executives will meet later this month to discuss ongoing iPhone X production woes, according to a new report.
Apple operating chief Jeff Williams is planning to sit down with Foxconn chairman Terry Gou, sources say. It’s likely the subject of that meeting will be to solve manufacturing issues that are causing severe iPhone X supply constraints.
