What goes on in a Foxconn iPad factory

Now this is a rare foray into a Foxconn factory that churns out Apple’s precious iPads, and journalist Rob Schmitz had the privilege of being exposed to the inner workings of Foxconn’s China factory, seeing how the super popular iPad gets manufactured and assembled, and hopefully, will help dispel the notion from the general masses that working in Foxconn is somewhat akin to hell (although steps have been taken to improve conditions), especially after the spate of suicides that happened some time back. The new video tour can be viewed right after the jump, as you hear Schmitz reveal on how iPads are built and tested.

According to Schmitz, “The first misconception I had about Foxconn’s Longhua facility in the city of Shenzhen was that I’ve always called it a ‘factory’ — technically, it is. But after you enter the gates and walk around, you quickly realize that it’s also a city — 240,000 people work here. Nearly 50,000 of them live on campus in shared dorm rooms. There’s a main drag lined on both sides with fast-food restaurants, banks, cafes, grocery stores, a wedding photo shop, and an automated library. There are basketball courts, tennis courts, a gym, two enormous swimming pools, and a bright green astroturf soccer stadium smack-dab in the middle of campus. There’s a radio station — Voice of Foxconn — and a television news station. Longhua even has its own fire department, located right on main street.”

Interesting, no? It is somewhat like a mini population and city-state going on there already.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Apple
Tags: foxconn, iPad