In a bid to improve its supply chain channels, the American multinational technology company, Apple, through its CEO, has disclosed that the firm has invested US$100 Billion in its Japanese Supply Chain over the last 5 years. Timothy Donald Cook, Apple’s CEO revealed this yesterday when he visited the company’s Sony Facility+ in Japan.
Cook said in a tweet on Monday that he had visited Kumamoto Prefecture in southwest Japan, which is home to numerous semiconductor and major technology business factories, including the one that TSMC is now building. However, on Tuesday, Apple revealed that over the previous five years, it had enhanced its supply chain networks in Japan. The amount invested has surpassed USD 100 billion.
According to a statement from Apple, it has grown its expenditure with Japanese suppliers by more than 30% since 2019. Its supply chain network includes close to 1,000 organizations, ranging from family-run businesses to large international corporations. In one of the series of Tweets that Apple’s CEO sent out yesterday, he pointed out that Apple has been partnering with Sony for over a decade to create the world’s leading camera sensors for the iPhone.
“We’ve been partnering with Sony for over a decade to create the world’s leading camera sensors for the iPhone. Thanks to Ken and everyone on the team for showing me around the cutting-edge facility in Kumamoto today.”
Additionally, Apple also cited small and medium-sized companies, such as the textile manufacturer Inoue Ribbon Industry Co and the mold manufacturer Shincron Co, and said that Sony Group is one of its major suppliers of photo sensors for iPhones in Japan. Likewise, 29 Japanese suppliers, including Sony, Murata Manufacturing Co., Keiwa Inc., Fujikura, and Sumitomo Electric Industries, have agreed to switch their businesses related to Apple to renewable energy by 2030, according to Apple.
