Foxconn's Wisconsin site has finally found its footing after going through a series of adjustments since its inception. Now, the site focuses on server and storage equipment production, while also becoming Foxconn's first step into the green energy sector with its production of microinverters for solar power.
Located between the state capital Milwaukee and Chicago at Mount Pleasant, Foxconn's Wisconsin site is Foxconn's first self-developed factory site in the US. It has been the center of attention ever since Foxconn founder Terry Gou and former US president Donald Trump held its groundbreaking ceremony together back in 2018.
Previously rumored to be planned for panel production, the site is currently run by Foxconn subsidiary Foxconn Industrial Internet USA (FII USA). Since FII's previous business ventures focused on manufacturing products such as servers and storage equipment, the Wisconsin site's key products right now are servers and storage equipment as well.
Besides continuing to expand the production for servers and storage equipment, the site has also started to assist US solar power and battery system suppliers to produce microinverters, according to FII USA chairman Fuming Fu. This can be viewed as the Foxconn group's first large-scale involvement in the green energy industry.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has resulted in a change in the tax subsidies for home solar power investments. This has led to a continued increase in home solar power demand in the US, which in turn has led to market demand for microinverters, as well as provided the Wisconsin site an opportunity to dive into microinverter production when it was approached by US clients who want to produce the component locally.
Fu stated that stepping into microinverters is based on client demand and part of the site's efforts to follow the Foxconn group's 3+3 industrial development strategy, which consists of three new industries (EV, digital health, robots) and three new technologies (AI, semiconductors, next-gen communication).
The market believes that the current development of the Wisconsin site is indeed following the 3+3 strategy. Servers and storage equipment are crucial infrastructure cores to developing EVs, digital health, robots, AI, and even next-gen communications. In terms of EV development, microinverters play a key role as well, whether it's renewable energy or charge station equipment.
The Wisconsin site contains 4 buildings as of now. They are the 868 plant, the high-speed computing and data center, the smart manufacturing center (SMC), and the multi-purpose building (MPB). While the 868 plant is still under planning, the other three buildings have all been put to use already.
The high-speed computing and data center is responsible for the site's application demand for digital transformation, as well as offering web hosting business to outside corporate clients. Applications regarding self-driving are also performed here.
The other two buildings are responsible for producing FII USA's orders. The SMC produces servers and storage equipment, while the MPB produces solar-power microinverters. With orders still on the rise, a capacity shortage will appear despite the current production lines running on a three-shift, 24-hour operation. Therefore, Fu stated that he hope Foxconn can quickly construct new factory buildings on the site to satisfy the client's demands.
In regards to other sectors that the Wisconsin site may be involved in, medical, government tenders, aerospace, and even the EV-related battery supply chain are all targets for the company. Among them, the medical sector may have a headstart, as the site has worked with US medical supplier Medtronic to make products like respirators.
Photo: FII USA chairman Fuming Fu.
Credit: DIGITIMES
Article translated by Jack Wu
