Apple supplier Foxlink says production disrupted by fire

Apple supplier Foxlink India Electric said a fire occurred at its Tirupati facility in South India on Monday, disrupting production, and potentially harming Apple’s manufacturing operations in India.

“On Monday February 27 a fire occurred at our facility in Tirupati.The safety and well being of our employees is always our first priority and we followed detailed protocols to evacuate everyone quickly and safely,” the company said in a statement.

The company said there were no serious injuries and all employees have returned to their accommodation.

“We will continue to support our employees as we undertake a thorough review and work to resume production,” the company added, addressing concerns about contract employees losing pay over the incident.

Foxlink is one of the top cable suppliers to Apple. The company makes the Lightning to USB-C cables for iPhones. The Taiwan-based company entered India in 2020 with a plant in Chennai, and later a subsidiary in Andhra Pradesh with “an investment amount of 160 million rupees (Rs 16 crore),” as per the company website.

The disruption of operations may cause supply chain disruptions for iPhones made in India, Rs 8100 crore worth of which was exported in December 2022, as reported by ET.

Apple did not respond to emails seeking comments on the matter.