As reported by the South China Morning Post and others, Foxconn in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, has reduced its workforce in one factory from 110,000 to 50,000 through the increased use of robots. In a statement reported by BBC it was was quoted as saying “We are applying robotics engineering and other innovative manufacturing technologies to replace repetitive tasks previously done by employees, and through training, also enable our employees to focus on higher value-added elements in the manufacturing process, such as research and development, process control and quality control.”
They insist that this does not mean a long term job loss and that they will continue to keep a significant workforce in China. They did, however, indicate that this process will continue and is also used by other companies in the region. Foxconn is best known for its assembly work related to Apple, Samsung, Sony and other major brands. It can be expected that his development will be affecting all major CE companies and marks a distinct strategic change in the manufacturing process. -NH
