Apple suppliers forced to suspend production due to power cuts
Local governments in China have ordered power cuts across more than 10 provinces to meet targets for reducing energy and emissions intensity, with some Apple suppliers forced to suspend production due to the inability to run production lines.
As reported by Reuters, Apple supplier Unimicron Technology Corp announced on Sunday that three of its China subsidiaries stopped production to comply with the new restrictions, with plants now closed until midnight on Sept. 30.
Another Apple supplier, Concraft Holding Co Ltd, which produces speaker components for the iPhone from its plant in Suzhou city, said production would be halted until noon on Thursday.
Foxconn, one of Apple’s most important suppliers, is yet to confirm how the power cuts have affected production output.
It is yet to be seen how the factory closures will impact product availability leading into the holidays, when Apple and its suppliers usually ramp up production to meet high seasonal demand.
The power cuts are not just limited to Apple suppliers. Factories across the board in China are now struggling to operate as the government battles to reduce pollution and emissions of climate-changing gases. The power cuts are hitting homes too, with residents in the northeast of the country taking to social media to report how households are now left in the dark with no heating or electrical supply.