Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Foxconn sees COVID-hit China plant back at full output in late Dec.-early Jan

Share
TAIPEI -

Apple supplier Foxconn 2317.TW expects its COVID-hit Zhengzhou plant in China to resume full production around late December to early January, a Foxconn source said on Monday, after worker unrest last month disrupted the world's biggest iPhone factory.

The world's largest contract electronics maker later on Monday said revenue in November fell 11.4% year on year reflecting production problems related to COVID-19 controls at the major iPhone factory.

"At present, the overall epidemic situation has been brought under control with November being the most affected period," the company said in a statement, adding it has started to recruit new employees and was gradually "restoring production capacity to normal."

Foxconn said November revenue for its smart consumer electronics business, which includes smartphones, declined year on year partly due to a portion of shipments being impacted by production disruptions in Zhengzhou. It did not elaborate.

The Zhengzhou plant has been grappling with strict COVID-19 restrictions that have fuelled discontent among workers over conditions at the factory. Production of the Apple AAPL. O device was disrupted ahead of Christmas and January's Lunar New Year holidays, with many workers either having to isolate to combat the spread of the virus or fleeing the plant.

Following the November unrest, that saw workers clash with security personnel, Foxconn could have seen more than 30% of the Zhengzhou site's November production affected, Reuters reported last month citing a source familiar with the matter. Foxconn hasn't disclosed details of the impact of the disruption on its production plans or finances.

Analysts say Foxconn assembles around 70% of iPhones, and the Zhengzhou plant produces the majority of its premium models including iPhone 14 Pro.

"The capacity is now being gradually resumed" with new staff hiring underway, said the person with direct knowledge of the matter. The person declined to the named as the information was private.

"If the recruitment goes smoothly, it could take around three to four weeks to resume full production," the person said, pointing to a period around late December to early January.

Foxconn and the local government are working hard on the recruitment drive but many uncertainties remain, according to the source. The person cited "fears" some workers might have about working for the company after the plant was hit by protests last month that sometimes turned violent.

"We are firing on all cylinders on the recruitment," the person said.

Foxconn declined to comment.

A second Foxconn source familiar with the matter said the company is hoping to resume full production "as soon as possible" but was not able to give a timeline.

"The situation has stabilized," the person said, referring to the protests and the government's easing of COVID restrictions. "The local government is actively helping with the resumption."

The Taiwanese company said last month it expects a slight decline in fourth-quarter revenues year-on-year for its smart consumer electronics business and significant growth for cloud and network products.

Foxconn said on Monday its overall revenue in the fourth quarter was expected to be "roughly in line with market consensus," without elaborating. It did not offer a fresh outlook for its various business sectors.

The company said last month that revenue in the final three months of this year would be flattish, and that it has a relatively conservative outlook for 2023. Read full story

Foxconn shares closed flat, in line with the broader market which ended up 0.1%.

Worker unrest strikes major iPhone suppliers' revenue.

(Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Jason Neely) 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

Stay Connected