In a report published on the site, Apple announced that business with European suppliers increased by more than 50% dal 2018reaching a total of €85 billion in the past five years and more than €20 billion only in 2022.
Investments in Europe, according to the tech giant’s numbers, involve approx 4000 European suppliers and also concern components of the best-known devices: from the sensors present in the Apple Watch to the lasers contained in the iPhone, up to the microcontrollers in the Mac. According to the Cupertino-based company, thanks to these investments and the iOS app economy “today Apple supplies beyond 2.6 million jobs in Europe”.
“Europe’s spirit of innovation and incredible talent brought us here more than 40 years ago, and the region’s contribution to our products has never been stronger,” he said. Cathy KearneyVice President of Operations di Apple. “Our deep partnerships with European suppliers have helped create breakthrough technologies and we are proud to work closely with suppliers across Europe as we advance our mission to decarbonise our entire global supply chain.”
Among the main suppliers also STM
Among the great protagonists in Europe too STMicroelectronics, a European semiconductor giant headquartered in France and Italy, develops and manufactures chips that contribute to the industry-leading performance and incredible efficiency of Apple devices. For many years, the company has collaborated with Tim Cook’s teams on sensors, power management, and wireless ICs for iPhones and other products from the tech giant.
STM employs more than 27,000 employees in European operations and is investing more than 3.5 billion euros in 2023 to increase its production capacity globally, including in France and Italy, where it produces components for Apple devices. This new expansion in manufacturing capacity will support Apple’s future needs for wireless, analog and mixed-signal microcontrollers and integrated circuits. The Italian-French semiconductor company powers its Apple-related operations with 100% renewable energy from 2021.
Focus on green innovation
The Californian company, together with its European suppliers collaborates to promote innovations that protect the planet and stimulate climate action. In Europe, many of the companies are part of the “Supplier Clean Energy Program“, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality for Apple-related corporate operations. According to the report.
The tech giant, in fact, is carbon neutral in its global corporate operations since 2020, and is committed to achieving the ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral across its global supply chain and across the lifecycle of all its products by 2030. In Europe, suppliers are adjusting. From the Austrian Ams (which produces chips), to the Dutch DSM Engineering Materials, up to the German Infineon, the steps towards innovative energy solutions are numerous.