Apple: Finland-based Apple supplier plans to hire, double workforce in India – Times of India

Salcomp, a Finland-based parts supplier to Apple, has said that it plans to double its workforce in India to 25,000 over the next three years, as per a report. The company is targeting annual revenue of at least $2 billion to $3 billion by 2025 in the country.
The development comes at a time when Apple is looking to shift production of its iPhones away from China. The country was hit by COVID-related lockdowns and restrictions, along with geopolitical tensions between Beijing and the US.
“The whole supply chain is now kind of looking at an alternative. And India is poised to be one of the best alternatives,” news agency Reuters quoted Sasikumar Gendham, managing director, Salcomp Manufacturing India, as saying.
Gendham told Reuters that Salcomp will have a “significant role” in Apple’s supply chain.
“Everyone knows that the whole world has been depending on this one nation (China) over the last few decades and it’s time to really diversify and decluster,” he added.
iPhone assembly in India
Apple already assembles a few of its iPhone models in India. In line with the government’s push for local manufacturing, the Tim Cook-led company began iPhone assembly in the country in 2017 via Wistron and later Foxconn. Apple also started assembling iPhone 14 models in India as well.

The report says that Salcomp currently employs about 12,000 at its Chennai plant, where it makes mostly chargers along with other smartphone parts. It is also setting up a housing complex with entertainment and education facilities for about 15,000 people.
As per Gendham, the India business is expected to generate at least $2 billion-$3 billion in revenue by 2025, from less than $484 million now.
Hiring in India
Last year, reports said that Foxconn is also planning to quadruple the workforce at its iPhone factory in India over two years.
Last month, Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, said that Apple wants India to account for up to 25% of its production from about 5%-7% now. Reports have also suggested that Apple is looking to manufacture iPads and AirPods along with iPhones in India.