The world's largest electronics contract manufacturer is juggling challenges from its massive base in China and opportunities from cheaper alternatives like India.
In the middle of yet another iPhone production busy season, Foxconn is yet again in the headlines for employee deaths.
New York-based China Labor Watch (CLW) reported Aug. 10 that it has confirmed with multiple sources that a female worker was found dead on Aug. 7 in Foxconn's production base in Zhengzhou, China. Foxconn has not responded as of press time.
CLW said the body was laying on the ground outside Foxconn's Zhaofu Apartments and the cause of death is currently unclear.
Last week, CLW broke the news on Aug. 6 that a male worker jumped off a Foxconn Zhengzhou building to his death on Aug. 5. Shortly afterward Foxconn confirmed the death.
Foxconn employs more than 200,000 at the Zhengzhou base, which assembles the majority of Apple's latest iPhone models.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that Foxconn is investing $5 billion on manufacturing and R&D facilities in India's Maharashtra state. The newspaper quoted a state government official saying that Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd., parent company of Foxconn, signed a memorandum of understanding with the state on Aug. 8 to build a production base with a workforce of 50,000. The company is in the process of site selection, the Aug. 10 report said.
In an Aug. 6 statement, publicly listed Hon Hai said it is actively assessing various business opportunities in India and investment decisions will need to go through required protocols and be approved by the board.