Foxconn is continuing to expand its operations as Apple’s iPhone and iPad lines continue to generate increasing sales. The Asian manufacturer on Monday announced plans to build a new $210 million production line in Huai’an.
According to China Daily the new facility which has already been announced by local officials will cover more than 430,556 square feet and will employ 35,800 people. The new production line is also expected to be worth 6 to 7 billion yuan ($949 million to $1.1 billion) with an import/export value of $55.8 million.
Construction on the new plant is expected to start in October and Foxconn has not announced which Apple devices will be produced at the new state of the art manufacturing facility. There is the possibility the plant will be used to supplement iPhone and iPad production, however it is also likely that it could be used to produce Apple’s upcoming TV set or even the rumored Apple iPad 7-inch model which has not yet been confirmed or denied by Apple executives.
Foxconn’s growth means plenty of jobs in Huai’an, the company is already planning another factory in April which will employ thousands of more workers. Foxconn already has more than 200,000 people working in the city of Shenzhen, those employees build products for some of the worlds largest tech firms include Apple, HP and others.
In the meantime the new Huai’an plant comes at a time when Foxconn and Apple are trying to prove that they have increased employee safety and worker rights amid international concerns over the working conditions at various Foxconn production plants.
