Shifting MacBook manufacturing outdoors of China for the primary time is certainly one of Apple’s key strategic targets for its provide chain, with Vietnam reported to be first in line. A brand new report at the moment signifies that corporations with services in Thailand are additionally getting ready for MacBook meeting.
A number of Apple suppliers are mentioned to be concerned in discussions with the corporate, over each manufacturing of parts and modules for the machines, in addition to last meeting …
Background
We’ve been warning for many years about each the necessity and the issue of decreasing Apple’s dependence on China, however the pandemic made even clearer the dangers of the corporate having most of its manufacturing eggs in a single basket. COVID-19-related disruption on the world’s greatest iPhone meeting plant was estimated to have value the corporate a billion {dollars} per week.
Apple has been regularly diversifying its provide chain, with meeting vegetation in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and elsewhere, however progress has been gradual.
Specifically, MacBook meeting nonetheless occurs completely inside China. We first heard late final yr that Thailand may very well be within the operating, however most studies have centered on Vietnam.
MacBook manufacturing deliberate for Thailand
Nikkei Asia will get way more particular about Thailand.
Apple is in talks with suppliers to make MacBooks in Thailand as the corporate continues to develop its manufacturing footprint outdoors of China amid geopolitical uncertainties […]
The Apple suppliers concerned within the talks have already got manufacturing complexes in Thailand for different shoppers and are discussing potential meeting and manufacturing of parts and modules for MacBooks, in accordance with sources from three suppliers instantly concerned within the conversations with Apple.
One provider mentioned that it has already accomplished a trial manufacturing line for MacBooks in Thailand. A second is already constructing vegetation in Thailand particularly for Apple, and can full development of a MacBook manufacturing facility by the top of the yr. A 3rd was approached by Apple for MacBook meeting in Vietnam, and supplied the choice of utilizing an present plant in Thailand.
The report additionally says that Apple Watches have been quietly made in Thailand for greater than a yr.
Thailand has already seen suppliers of US tech corporations arrange factories within the nation, together with manufacturing of servers, printers, and automotive parts.
One native analyst mentioned that Apple nonetheless favors Vietnam over Thailand, nonetheless, because it’s nearer to China and has extra free commerce agreements. Apple didn’t reply to a request for remark.
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