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Inside Foxconn’s $230 Mn Housing Development for Workers in India

• ByStartupStory     |    December 31, 2024

Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics giant and a key supplier for Apple, has successfully completed a $230 million (INR 1,965.4 crore) housing project for its workers in Tamil Nadu. The housing facility, designed to cater to the company’s large female workforce, is located within Foxconn’s Sriperumbudur premises, near Chennai.

According to sources familiar with the development, “It has been built on Foxconn’s premises in Sriperumbudur, which means that a large chunk of their female workforce will now not have to even take a bus and commute to their hostels. They can merely walk down to their dorms.”

Details of the Housing Facility

Spread across 20 acres, the residential project includes six housing blocks with 10 floors each, alongside two additional utility blocks. The dormitories have a total capacity of 18,000 beds, offering modern living spaces and recreational amenities.

The facility includes provisions for cricket, badminton, basketball, and volleyball, ensuring recreational opportunities for the workers. Additionally, it houses a subsidised canteen and a small grocery store to cater to daily needs.

“This dorm setup provides its workers with recreational facilities such as space to play cricket, badminton, basketball, and volleyball,” added a source.

Part of Foxconn’s Expansion Plans

The housing initiative is part of Foxconn’s broader strategy to relocate a significant portion of its iPhone manufacturing from China to India. In 2022, Foxconn began shifting production to its Tamil Nadu plant following supply chain disruptions in its Zhengzhou unit, which was previously the world’s largest iPhone factory.

Earlier, in October 2022, Foxconn executives met with Tamil Nadu government officials to discuss investment opportunities, including the development of housing facilities for workers.

Commitment to Inclusive Hiring

The development comes amid Foxconn’s recent changes to its hiring practices in India. The company has removed age, gender, marital status, and company name from job advertisements for iPhone assembly positions following allegations of gender bias.

In June 2023, reports surfaced alleging that Foxconn excluded married women from jobs at its Sriperumbudur iPhone assembly facility. The company has since revised its policies to ensure inclusivity.

Boost to India’s iPhone Production

India has emerged as a key hub for Apple iPhone production, contributing 12-14% of global iPhone volumes in FY24. The country is projected to assemble 32% of global iPhone production and 26% of its value by FY27.

Foxconn, as Apple’s leading supplier, has also commenced the manufacturing of the iPhone 16 Pro series at its Tamil Nadu facility. The company has procured equipment worth $31 million for the expansion of its Indian operations.

This housing project marks Foxconn’s first major investment in setting up dormitories for its workers in India and signifies its commitment to enhancing worker welfare while boosting India’s position as a global electronics manufacturing hub.

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