Foxconn to replace workers with one million robots in three years
August 1, 2011 | Source: Xinhua
Taiwanese technology giant Foxconn reportedly will replace some of its workers with one million robots in three years to cut rising labor expenses and improve efficiency.
The robots will be used to do simple, routine work such as spraying, welding, and assembling, which are now mainly conducted by workers. The company currently has 10,000 robots. The number will be increased to 300,000 next year and one million in three years.
Foxconn, the world’s largest maker of computer components, which assembles products for Apple, Sony and Nokia, is in the spotlight after a string of suicides of workers at its massive Chinese plants, which some blamed on tough working conditions.
The company currently employs 1.2 million people, with about 1 million of them based on the Chinese mainland.
Comments (1)
by Atmic
“…rising labor expenses…”
More like pressure from the world forcing them to ensure better quality of life practices for their workers (which is expensive). Got to hand it to them though, they are pure business cut-and-dry: living workers start getting to be expensive, so they switch to the less argumentative type quick: robots.