Fire at Pegatron Plant in India Forces Suspension of iPhone Assembly
A fire broke out at a plant owned by Taiwanese company Pegatron Corp, one of Apple’s main suppliers in India, forcing the suspension of iPhone assembly. The incident occurred at the company’s factory in Chennai, located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Pegatron stated that the incident, which involved a spark, is currently under control.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire, but Pegatron assured that there were no casualties or significant damage to the complex. The company emphasized that the incident would not have a major financial or operational impact. However, the Indian newspaper Times of India reported that as a result of the fire, Pegatron had to suspend its iPhone assembly line on Monday.
Pegatron is a key assembler of Apple devices globally and competes with other companies such as Taiwanese Hon Hai (Foxconn) in India. With Apple aiming to reduce its reliance on China, a report by investment manager JP Morgan last year estimated that the tech giant could manufacture one in four iPhones in India by 2025. Currently, about 25% of Apple products are already manufactured outside of China.
The repercussions of the fire on Pegatron’s operations are yet to be determined. However, Apple enthusiasts and consumers will be eagerly awaiting updates to see how this incident may affect the availability of their beloved iPhones.