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Apple to build new manufacturing facility in Arizona with solar-power, will create 2000+ jobs

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The State of Arizona today announced that Apple is planning to build a new manufacturing facility in the city of Mesa, Arizona. The facility will create 700 jobs for manufacturing, and an additional 1,300 jobs for the construction and management of the new facility, In total, Apple will be bringing at least 2,000 new jobs to the United States thanks to this new facility.

In addition to the manufacturing facility, Apple will be constructing a new solar power grid in the city to power the manufacturing operations, according to Arizona’s announcement:

“Apple is indisputably one of the world’s most innovative companies and I’m thrilled to welcome them to Arizona,” said Governor Brewer. “Apple will have an incredibly positive economic impact for Arizona and its decision to locate here speaks volumes about the friendly, pro-business climate we have been creating these past four years. Their investment in renewable energy will also be greening our power grid, and creating significant new solar and geothermal power sources for the state. As Governor, I’ve worked hard to demonstrate that Arizona is open for business. Today’s news is proof that’s paying off.”

Neither the State government nor Apple have announced the purpose of the facility, but it will likely have to do with expanding the technology’s company’s new initiative to bring manufacturing back to the United States. For the past several years, Apple has produced its hardware products in Asia-based manufacturing facilities, but beginning this fall, the computer maker will build new Mac Pro models in Texas. Perhaps this new facility in Arizona will assist the Texas operations in building Mac Pros and build other new versions of Apple devices.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbWOQWw1wkM&f]

Apple CEO Tim Cook previously noted that Mac Pro production, assembly, and parts-sourcing would involve the state of Arizona. Apple also notes on its website that Mac Pro manufacturing goes beyond Texas:

With the new Mac Pro, we assemble the entire product and machine several of its high-precision components in the United States. By leveraging the innovative power of industry-leading companies in Texas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, and over a dozen other states across America, we’re able to build a product that’s impeccably constructed and beautiful in every detail. In other words, exactly as it was envisioned by our designers and engineers in California.

It appears that the facility will be used to manufacture sapphire crystal, based on an announcement from an Apple component supplier.

The company also announced that it has entered into a multi-year supply agreement with Apple Inc. to provide sapphire material. GT will own and operate ASF® furnaces and related equipment to produce the material at an Apple facility in Arizona where GT expects to employ over 700 people. Apple will provide GT with a prepayment of approximately $578 million. GT will reimburse Apple for the prepayment over five years, starting in 2015.

Apple uses this material to create the camera lenses in recent iPhone models, for example. Additionally, it is used to protect the Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the iPhone 5s.

Last month, we reported that Apple is opening up a large facility in Pennsylvania to manage East Coast AppleCare repairs. This facility will also likely create hundreds of new jobs in the United States.

Apple has commented on today’s announcement:

“We are proud to expand our domestic manufacturing initiative with a new facility in Arizona, creating more than 2,000 jobs in engineering, manufacturing and construction. This new plant will make components for Apple products and it will run on 100% renewable energy from day one, as a result of the work we are doing with SRP to create green energy sources to power the facility.”

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Comments

  1. weakguy - 10 years ago

    Let’s go!!!

  2. i2fun - 10 years ago

    Once again Apple is caught spin doctoring us with their RDF FUD on a factory that will in fact not be owned by Apple. Instead this a publicity stunt to make it seem they are the ones that will actually be making these investments directly and not 3rd party parts and manufacturing partners. Just like the Texas Deal where Apple hasn’t even invested a single dime in the factories or personal hired to assemble those closed box game console like non upgradable Macs in!!!

    If they were actually investing in America….. they’d be listed somewhere close to the top of CiCi’s Top 15, instead of down around #46! …..but since Apple is no Samsung with their purse strings investing the most ever in a single year in Austin Texas of $4 Billion, when Apple hasn’t even broke ground on their only $750 Million Space Donut Headquarters spread out over 5 yrs! ;-P

    • Felix the Guy (@felixwcf) - 10 years ago

      Ya moron keep bashing and complaining while they’re trying hard to help their people in their country and recovering the economy. You so-called space donut will gather all the engineers, artist, genius and programmers to work together and innovate many good products.

      BTW those millions of people from the world who bought Apple products, they can’t just think and they are idiots and they’re sheeps but you’re not right? What a good logic!

      What nice things have you contribute to the society? Blame your arrogant government but not those companies who try to help, and spend more time to read books and news dude..

    • tallestskil - 10 years ago

      Stop being an idiot.

  3. Tad Morgan (@tadm) - 10 years ago

    Hmm, sapphire crystal is also often used for watch faces…

  4. Tracy Matos - 10 years ago

    I believe they are taking over a brand new building that was built but never used by First Solar. Pretty exciting as it is just across the street from my neighborhood. :) Maybe I could get a job there!

  5. Eric Archuleta - 10 years ago

    felix the guy I hope you wake up and smell the rotten apple juice, Apple is a company that only cares about profits, So they exploit there customers with there bleeding edge technology, when it breaks your have to go to the genius bar and wait a long time for a attendant to give you a refurbished replacement for warranty replacement, this refurbished replacement is made with the broken parts from other returned products meaning it is still a bleeding piece of crap only now it is made with broken parts, read the fine print on the bottom of your receipt , it will tell you there going to use broken parts from returned broken warranties’ returns. and foxconn there biggest vendor has the highest suicide at 4 times the highest suicide rate in the world. They mfg there product from a communist county that exploits it citizens to death and that has nuclear bombs pointed at us, they are the worse offenders of pollution in the world ! need I go on, what happen to morals and values, I guess you can’t take morals and values to the bank ! I would stave to death before I would buy another apple product, I could come up with many other ways apple sucks as a corporation, but really

    • gedwardnelson - 10 years ago

      Such vitriol! If you’re going to spout off with such crap at least learn how to spell first. Count how many times you used “there” when you should have used “their.” Things like that just make you seem illiterate and irrational. You may be right, I don’t know, but nobody’s going to take you seriously.

  6. Eric Archuleta - 10 years ago

    Gedwardnelson really , my spelling of there is the best response your got, Your week response means nothing, my facts are true, If your going to just try to discredit me at lease come up with something tangible!
    If your going to call someone a “Ya moron” It just shows how you act like a child and it tells me you one of those Apple suckers ! If I were you I would be careful who you call names I come from another country and I come from a ancient line of shaman, so if you don’t want trouble and bad karma !! You should take so of your own advice “and spend more time reading books and news dude”

    • gedwardnelson - 10 years ago

      Eric, obviously you have some serious anger issues, or resentment of something. My response wasn’t “week,” nor weak, as it’s correctly spelled. I didn’t even argue your points. I said I didn’t know. What I tried to make you aware of was that your manner of making a point is weakened by your tone and “weak”ness in grammar and spelling. You put those two together and your sound like an uneducated lunatic.

      I did not call you any names, and the “you moron” comment wasn’t even made by me. So you’re trying to berate me using quotes I didn’t make. If you can’t get even get that simple fact accurate, then how is anyone to trust the “facts” in your rant?

      Oh, by the way, “week” is a duration of seven days. It hasn’t anything to do with strength. “Your going” should be “you’re going” as in you are going. And “at lease come” should be “at least come.” A lease is a contract granting property to another. There was no attempt to discredit you. I really don’t think you need any help there, you’re doing a good enough job by yourself. And then you feel the need to make threats. Have you considered anger management counseling? If not, you should consider it.

  7. Woogy Lewis - 10 years ago

    Very happy to hear that any company is creating 2,000 jobs in the USA.

  8. Jarl Kubat - 10 years ago

    Apple building a new facility in Arizona is great news for Arizona! Go Apple!!!

  9. Ostres de la Badia - 10 years ago

    Apple, please, GO SOLAR!!

  10. Millie Curtis - 10 years ago

    Awesome!!!! when are they going to accept a job application and where?? some company you have to go through temp service..is apple will be doing a direct hiring??

  11. Sally Villa - 10 years ago

    where could we go to apply for jobs or keep up to date when you could apply for jobs .