The rumor on Foxconn planning to open manufacturing plants in the U.S. is true. According to Bloomberg, Foxconn spokesman Louis Woo said, “We are looking at doing more manufacturing in the U.S. because, in general, customers want more to be done there.” Woo wouldn’t name clients, but in light of Tim Cook’s confirmation that Apple is investing over $100 million in manufacturing some Macs in the U.S. next year, it’s not difficult to deduce that the world’s most valuable company is a primary reason for Foxconn’s upcoming plans.
Woo also noted that “Supply chain is one of the big challenges for U.S. expansion” and that “any manufacturing we take back to the U.S. needs to leverage high-value engineering talent there in comparison to the low-cost labor of China.”
In addition to creating thousands of new jobs, Foxconn’s expansion into the U.S. also has another benefit: reduced delivery times for new products. Whereas most iPhones and iPads are assembled in China, having plants on U.S. soil would allow quicker transport times. And for super-secretive companies like Apple, it could also mean fewer product leaks from the factory line.
