As part of its commitment to US economic growth, Apple today confirmed that its newly redesigned Mac Pro will be manufactured in Austin, Texas. This latest generation Mac Pro, which was unveiled at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference in June, will begin production soon at the same Austin facility where Mac Pro has been made since 2013.
The new Mac Pro will include components designed, developed and manufactured by more than a dozen American companies for distribution to US customers. Manufacturers and suppliers across Arizona, Maine, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont, including Intersil and ON Semiconductor, are providing advanced technology. The US manufacturing of Mac Pro is made possible following a federal product exclusion Apple is receiving for certain necessary components. The value of American-made components in the new Mac Pro is 2.5 times greater than in Apple’s previous generation Mac Pro.
“The Mac Pro is Apple’s most powerful computer ever and we’re proud to be building it in Austin. We thank the administration for their support enabling this opportunity,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in a statement. “We believe deeply in the power of American innovation. That’s why every Apple product is designed and engineered in the U.S., and made up of parts from 36 states, supporting 450,000 jobs with US suppliers, and we’re going to continue growing here.”
Apple is on track to fulfill its commitment to invest $350 billion in the US economy by 2023. Last year alone, the company spent over $60 billion with more than 9,000 domestic suppliers across the country, including at manufacturing locations in 36 states. Apple’s investment in innovation supports 2.4 million jobs in all 50 states, including 90,000 direct employees. Last week, Apple announced it is awarding $250 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to Corning Incorporated, supplier of precision glass for iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad. To date, Apple has invested over $1 billion in American companies from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund — deploying the entire $1 billion initial investment and 20 percent of the $5 billion it subsequently committed to spend. In December, Apple announced plans to expand its presence in Austin and a dozen other cities across the country, including San Diego and Seattle.
Source: Apple Inc.
Tripp Mickle for the Wall Street Journal:
Apple Inc. said it is keeping production of its new Mac Pro in Texas, reversing earlier plans to shift assembly of the computer to China.
The decision follows the Trump administration’s move last week to grant tariff exemptions on 10 items Apple imports from China. The exclusions for components, including a power supply and a logic board, cover a period from September of last year to August 2020, and the U.S. will refund tariffs already paid.The tech giant had earlier tapped Taiwanese contractor Quanta Computer Inc. to assemble the nearly $6,000 desktop computer outside Shanghai.
“We thank the administration for their support enabling this opportunity,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, in a statement Monday.
Apple will not be given Tariff waiver, or relief, for Mac Pro parts that are made in China. Make them in the USA, no Tariffs!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2019
Apple’s decision to reverse course and instead keep the computer’s assembly in Texas is among the most pronounced examples of how tariffs have roiled corporate decision-making. Former operations employees and current suppliers say they have spent much of the past year evaluating contingency plans for products that are assembled in China, as the company looks to avoid tariffs. Apple had asked suppliers to move as much as a third of production for some devices outside China.
Made in Texas is a powerful brand. #GoBigInTexas https://t.co/2pbKHYuMhg
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) September 23, 2019
MacDailyNews Take: And, unlike the past four+ years, workers in Austin’s Mac Pro plant will actually have orders to fulfill!
Earlier today, we were the first to report that #Apple is making all the parts for its new #MacPro computers in Austin, #Texas! They'll likely pay less in tariffs and hire more Americans for their factories! pic.twitter.com/wAvRzQoiGK
— Varney & Co. (@Varneyco) September 23, 2019