Apple’s long-term partner, Foxconn is allowed to resume operations at its facilities in Shenzhen and Shanghai but in a bubble arrangement to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
On Monday, March 16, China imposed a complete lockdown in the cities of Shenzhen and Shanghai after more than 1,800 coronavirus cases were reported on Sunday. The Shenzhen government closed public transportation, non-essential businesses, and industrial parks.
Shenzhen is the epicenter of manufacturing for tech companies like TCL, Huawei, and others. More importantly, it is also Foxconn’s second-largest manufacturing hub for clients like Apple, Amazon, and Google. Like other manufacturers, Foxconn too halted production at facilities in Longhua and Guanlan in the city. It was speculated that the lockdown would further impact the global supply chain already constrained by the chip crisis and war in Ukraine.
Foxconn adopts a “closed-loop management” system at facilities in Shenzhen, China
Reuters reports that the Chinese government has given Apple’s partner, Foxconn a respite by allowing it to restart production and operations in Shenzhen under a bubble arrangement, employees work and live at the manufacturing plants. Foxconn said in a statement that it is adopting a “closed-loop management” system, which was successfully implemented during the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
“Some operations have been able to restart and some production is being carried out,” Foxconn said in a statement, adding that the system at its Shenzhen facilities subjected employees living there to the required health measures.
“This process, which can only be done on campuses that include both employee housing and production facilities, adheres to strict industry guidelines and close-loop management policies issued by the Shenzhen government,” it added.
Foxconn will also begin production of the iPhone 13 at its plant in Chennai in April, after a three months delay.
Foxconn was supposed to start mass production of 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini and 6.1-inch iPhone 13 at the Chennai plant in January 2022 for local and overseas markets. But Apple put the manufacturer on probation for not providing quality working and living conditions to the workers.
Read More:
- Evacuated employees return to Apple Park, after authorities cleared the hazmat situation
- Apple TV+ global market share hits 5.6% in February 2022
- iPhone 14 Pro to feature taller screen along with a new A16 Bionic chip, “pill+hole” notch, and more
- iPhone SE review round-up: outdated design but internals pack a punch
