Foxconn's iPhone plant in China reviving from Covid blues

Beijing: Foxconn's biggest iPhone manufacturing facility in China, hit hard by Covid-related disruptions, is gradually recovering and production has reached about 90 per cent of maximum capacity, the media reported on Wednesday.

Foxconn Technology Group's facility in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou is the world's largest iPhone factory, which saw major disruptions in the last three months of 2022 caused by the pandemic controls.

The factory was rocked by an exodus of tens of thousands of employees and violent workers' protests amid a Covid-19 outbreak that began in late October 2022.According to state media Henan Daily, production has resumed now to nearly 90 per cent at the facility.

"We are updating our clients on a daily basis about production conditions. Orders are good, and production will reach its peak in the coming months," Wang Xue, a deputy manager with the Foxconn plant, was quoted as saying in the report.

In a New Year's message, Foxconn Chairman and CEO Young Liu had said the Taipei-based company may see a more difficult and challenging path' ahead.Foxconn is also offering a $718 subsidy to employees with an aim to retain workers at its main China factory that was affected by Covid-related protests.Foxconn will provide a subsidy to workers who continue in essential roles at the Zhengzhou iPhone factory from January 1 to March 20.

Moreover, the factory is extending the 'show up' bonus payments for workers.They can now receive a 6,000 yuan ($862) bonus if they work more than 23 days in January next year.In November, workers at Foxconn's largest factory in China clashed with security forces and company officials amid protests over late bonus payments for work during Covid lockdowns.Hundreds of workers were seen in social media videos, marching down a road, throwing sticks and bricks at anti-riot police.