Foxconn production line worker to leading Apple supplier

As Tim Cook continues a rather comprehensive tour of China with a visit to a Luxshare Apple Watch factory, the WSJ has an interesting profile on how the Apple supplier worked its way up from making iPad cables to becoming one of Apple’s most important manufacturing and development partners.

The story of Luxshare founder Wang Laichun, aka Grace Wang, is a true rags-to-riches one. She started out as a Foxconn production line worker, manually adding components to circuit boards …

Cook’s visit was in recognition of Luxshare powering the Apple Watch factory with solar panels, reports the WSJ.

Cook made a surprise visit to Luxshare’s Apple Watch factory near Shanghai and praised the assembler’s work in making Apple’s most advanced products. In a video posted on social media, Cook smiled and nodded as he spoke to Wang, Luxshare’s chairwoman, and viewed solar panels powering the factory. “Thank you, Grace and team, for sharing our commitment to protecting the planet,” he wrote on social media.

The piece tells the story of the company’s founder and chairwoman.

Wang was among the first cohort of workers hired when Foxconn opened a factory in the southern boomtown of Shenzhen in 1988. Starting with rote production work such as manually inserting parts onto circuit boards, Wang spent 10 years at Foxconn and rose to be a team leader.

In 1998, she struck out on her own. With her brother, she set up a factory to make products such as electric cords and the cases of television sets. 

Luxshare’s relationship with Apple began with an acquisition, when it bought a company making iPad cables – and then built on that.

After establishing itself as a leader in cables and connectors, Luxshare moved into adjacent products including earphones and camera modules. A 2016 acquisition brought in expertise that helped Luxshare secure orders for AirPods, a product that requires intricate manufacturing skills to pack hundreds of components into a tiny space.

When Apple engineers visited Luxshare, they were impressed by Wang’s detailed knowledge of other Apple products, including MacBooks. The company now makes them.

And next year, it will achieve a new level of Apple partnership.

Luxshare is handling what industry people call “new product introduction” for Apple’s 2024 high-end iPhones, according to Ming-Chi Kuo […]

The term refers to the process in which Apple works with its assembler to turn its product designs and prototypes into a detailed manufacturing plan. Until now, the role was virtually monopolized by Foxconn. 

Additionally, the company is not only Apple’s assembler for its upcoming Vision Pro headset, but is already partnering with the Cupertino company on the development of future models.