Companies

iPhone-maker Wistron set to re-start Karnataka plant in a week

Our Bureaus New Delhi | Updated on February 09, 2021

A view of Wistron’s facility in Narasapura (file photo)   -  Reuters

‘Still on probation’, Apple handholding Taiwanese firm with necessary systems, processes

The Karnataka government is waiting for Apple iPhone manufacturer Wistron — a Taiwanese company — to reopen its facility at Narasapura Industrial Area in Kolar district.

“Next week, that is, 5 to 7 days from today, it is set to commence production. It is ready with all clearances,” a senior official in the Large and Medium Scale Industries Department told BusinessLine.

The company has replaced key machines and equipment that were damaged during the employee stir. Once all the work is completed, Wistron will approach the government for a final go-ahead. “Currently, we are waiting to help them  commence production at the earliest,” the official said.

The official said since the global demand for iPhones is surging, attempts  are being made by the company and the establishment to ensure that India participates in this global demand pull.

“It is hoped that the company will be able to scale up to full capacity in four weeks, post-restart,” the official said.

In a statement on Tuesday, Apple said Wistron had begun the process of restarting operations.

“For the past eight weeks, teams across Apple, along with independent auditors, have been working with Wistron to make sure the necessary systems and processes are in place at their Narasapura facility,” Apple statement said.

“Wistron remains on probation and we will monitor their progress closely.”

It may be recalled that in December, a section of employees of Wistron resorted to violence and damaged the company’s property over what they called issues of salary disparity, cut in wages and overwork.

Early last year, the Taiwanese company had got the Karnataka government’s approval to establish a unit to manufacture smartphones, IoT products and biotech devices. It also got the government’s nod to expand its facilities and production capacity.

Investment plan

Wistron, in its application to the State government, had sought 5.87 acres of land adjoining its existing facility.

To go ahead with the proposed plan, the company is increasing its investment from ₹682 crore to ₹1,947 crore and head count from 6,000 to 10,000.

Follow us on Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Linkedin. You can also download our Android App or IOS App.

Published on February 09, 2021
Karnataka
Apple Inc
  1. Comments will be moderated by The Hindu Business Line editorial team.
  2. Comments that are abusive, personal, incendiary or irrelevant cannot be published.
  3. Please write complete sentences. Do not type comments in all capital letters, or in all lower case letters, or using abbreviated text. (example: u cannot substitute for you, d is not 'the', n is not 'and').
  4. We may remove hyperlinks within comments.
  5. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name, to avoid rejection.