Tata Electronics to Resume Manufacturing At Fire Hit iPhone Component Factory

American devices maker Apple has suffered huge losses due to a fire at its iPhone component manufacturing plant. Last week, a fire broke out in one of the six units of this plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The reason for this is not known. However, the state Director of Industries has given permission to the company to start operations.

A Tata Electronics spokesperson said, “We are planning to restart operations in several areas of the plant. All our workers will continue to be paid full salaries.” District Fire Officer, M Velu said the damage caused was not known. “We will know more about it only after the debris is cleared. The entire shed has collapsed and the extent of the damage is not known,” he said.

A fire in this plant may affect the manufacturing of iPhones. Due to this, Apple will have to source important components of iPhone from China or other countries. From this factory, back panels and some other components are supplied to Apple’s contract manufacturer Foxconn and Tata Group’s iPhone assembling unit. Market research firm Counterpoint has said that about 15 lakh units of iPhone 14 and 15 are expected to be sold in the festive season running from October to early November. Due to fire in this factory of Tata Group, Apple may find it difficult to meet 15 percent of this demand.

Till August this year, Tata Group, along with sales in the country, has also exported iPhones worth about $ 250 million to America and Netherlands. Typically, Apple’s suppliers keep three to four weeks’ worth of stock of back panels. An industry source with knowledge of this said that Apple may have eight weeks of stock. Tata Group is among the new suppliers for Apple in the country. This year, the share of these smartphones made in the country in the international shipments of iPhone may be around 25 percent. Last year this figure was about 14 percent. In the last few years, manufacturing and export of iPhones has increased in the country.

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