Fitbit today announced that it has undertaken a plan to shift its manufacturing operations outside of China for effectively all of its trackers and smartwatches. As a result, starting in January 2020, the company expects those products will no longer be of Chinese origin and therefore not subject to Section 301 tariffs.
“In 2018, in response to the ongoing threat of tariffs, we began exploring potential alternatives to China. As a result of these explorations, we have made changes to our supply chain and manufacturing operations and have additional changes underway,” said Ron Kisling, CFO of Fitbit, in a statement. “Based on these changes, we expect that effectively all trackers and smartwatches starting in January 2020 will not be of Chinese origin.”
The company will provide more details of the financial implications of these tariff mitigation efforts during its upcoming third quarter earnings conference call.
Source: Fitbit, Inc.
MacDailyNews Take:
What’s a FitBit?
Easy to move when you only make small quantities.
Very good. Also avoids having communist overlords stealing and copying your tech and IP.
There is nothing to copy.
Fitbit “manufacturing operations” is just a small garage in Shenzhen isn’t it?
Apple is finding out that China no friend.
Will Tim sell out basic human rights for slave labor? Like the NBA.
When it comes to civil rights in China, Cook is concerned with not rocking the profit boat. Looks like the NBA mirrored Apple strategy and caved to government suppression of rights — ALL IN THE NAME OF THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. Hypocrites ALL Grande!…