It's been a few months since the last few rumors regarding Foxconn's potential manufacturing expansion into the United States, with company chairman Terry Gou placing uncertainty on the reports at the time. Now, sources in the Taiwan supply chain are once again claiming that Foxconn -- one of Apple's biggest suppliers -- is currently talking with both the U.S. federal government as well as individual state governments about building a TFT-LCD factory in the states (via DigiTimes).

The thin-film-transistor LCD manufacturing facility is said to produce small- to medium-sized displays for a collection of electronic devices, including autonomous driving systems in vehicles, medical care systems and mobile displays. Specifically, for Apple, the Taiwanese sources said that Foxconn's U.S. plant would build screens for the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.

foxconn iphone 7

Foxconn Electronics is talking with the US federal government and state governments about investing in the US and is likely to set up a 6G TFT-LCD panel factory there to produce small- to medium-size displays for IoT (Internet of Things) applications, including automotive, medical care and mobile terminal displays, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.

As Foxconn is the largest OEM for Apple, a 6G line in the US can produce panels for the iPhone, iPad and MacBook, the sources said. In addition, global demand for automotive displays is fast growing along with development of ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) and autonomous driving technology and a 6G line can produce automotive display panels, the sources noted.

Gou's original uncertainty with U.S. iPhone manufacturing was said to have been focused on whether or not the U.S. government could resolve any issues in a timely manner before such a plant could be built, as well as a lack of skilled labor and comprehensive supply chain required by the display industry. Gou never strictly nixed the idea of manufacturing display panels in the U.S., however, ultimately telling reporters that he would like Foxconn to be present in both markets (the U.S. and China) when the time is right.

Prior to Gou's comments, reports about Foxconn's U.S. expansion were frequent late in 2016 and early in 2017, with a report from last December referencing "early talks" held between Foxconn and the U.S. government that would result in a $7 billion plant and the creation of 50,000 jobs within the U.S.

In January, Pennsylvania was referenced as a possible location for the plant, along with reports of a potential joint investment deal between Apple and Foxconn for the U.S. plant. In February, Sharp was said to be given the lead on the plant, but now U.S.-based licensing deals for LCD TV panels between Sharp and Chinese vendor Hisense could interfere with Foxconn's plans.

Tag: Foxconn

Top Rated Comments

Rogifan Avatar
99 months ago
So they're going to set up a plant to build screens for iOS devices and then ship them back to China for final assembly? I see this as a lot of talk but never actually happening. As as we're seeing with health care, Trump doesn't care about what actually happens he only cares about what his kool-aid drinking supporters think is happening. I will bet we don't see a major new Foxconn factory in the United States within the next 4 years.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jerry16 Avatar
99 months ago
Why not a plant for next generation screens?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
99 months ago
Why not a plant for next generation screens?
Because unfortunately America is no longer at the heart of technological innovation. Our workers are under-skilled and overpaid and our government is overzealous in removing every privacy barrier that remains (both under democrat and republican admins) which creates a chilling effect for any country that wants to do business with us. It's a hostile environment and they're only throwing us the scraps because our president doesn't know any better. He said he wanted more "They took our jurbs!" back for Americans, despite the fact that many republicans are directly responsible for enabling these companies that pay for their campaigns to ship their workforce overseas. The way you make America great again is to apparently cut funding to higher education and give everyone a factory assembly line job. That's what republicans have been doing in my state since the election. Student enrollment is tanking and local businesses are shutting down because of lack of business. Tons of people are being laid off and it's starting to make home prices drop.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tooltalk Avatar
99 months ago
So they're going to set up a plant to build screens for iOS devices and then ship them back to China for final assembly? I see this as a lot of talk but never actually happening. As as we're seeing with health care, Trump doesn't care about what actually happens he only cares about what his kool-aid drinking supporters think is happening. I will bet we don't see a major new Foxconn factory in the United States within the next 4 years.
why not? Until a few years ago, Apple's A chips were built by Samsung in Austin, TX -- as are Corning's Gorilla glasses -- shipped to Foxconn in China, and, once assembled, to all over the word. Remember when Cook was telling Americans that iPhone's "engine" were made in USA?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrX8503 Avatar
99 months ago
It seems, at least the majority of people on this site get it. The notion that we can somehow bring back the golden age of manufacturing in th U.S. is unrealistic, to say the least. I guess some are satisfied with "talking about it" Though, the whole world economy would need to be re worked. Lets have a successful company build a factory (they dont need) train thousands of workers (which they already have) and pay them triple if not more than their current workers (probably for a device that is NOT up to the quality standard their foreign workers are already making) Hmmmm, I dont think so!!!!!

When all these trade deals were put through in the late 80's early 90's (NAFTA, etc) we were told that the U.S.A. was jumping ahead of manufacturing jobs. All those factory assembly jobs were going to go to the third world and we were going to advance with better paying high tech jobs. Thats what was supposed to replace them. Well, it sounded good, and I agreed with it. Sadly, when it comes time to start putting that plan into practice.....like massively increasing our secondary and college education funding. Like setting up AND PAYING FOR technical schools, well it never happened. God forbid we raise taxes to educate or citizens, give our citizens health care, you know, like every other industrialized western country. (That is just blowing by us in standard of living and every other bench mark) Where as after the second world war we dumped massive amounts of money into education, science, health care, infrastructure, at that time we led the world. Now our bridges, roads, and people are falling apart.
Oh but our leaders are paragons of family values, and we got to keep the gays from getting married, that would just end civilization, and if we run out of triple decker bunk beds to fill up the cafeteria in the jail with prisoners cause there isnt any open cells, well, we'll just let for profit companies build more prisons. What could go wrong with a system in which the LESS people rehabilitated and the MORE I can keep serving time, the more money I get. Yeah, no land mines there at all.
I wish I could give you another thumbs up.

People need to understand that no one can stop the natural advancement of technology. No matter how much money you pump into it and no matter how crazy our President is, those manufacturing jobs are long gone.

Sure, we can slow it down by making huge investments, but in the end it's not possible to stop the inevitable. The only solution is to invest in education, training, science, and technology. Create a new class of highly skilled workers to get everyone back to work.

Republicans have been scaling back those investments and so it's interesting that the people that cry for jobs are voting against their best interests. To top it all off those very same people rely on ACA (Obamacare). It's a real shame.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
99 months ago
Yeah, shame on those labor unions for fighting a race to the bottom of wages and working conditions.
[doublepost=1494258651][/doublepost]
Even if it does, it's gonna be a handful of technicians and a lot of robots:

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36376966
Exactly. The idea that low skilled white males in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan will be getting jobs assembling iPhones or other electronics is nonsense. Not happening.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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