by Josh Horwitz and Sarah Wu
SHANGHAI/TAIPEI, April 15 (Reuters) – Some Apple products, as well as Dell and Lenovo laptops, may face shipment delays if China’s COVID-19 containment measures persist, analysts said.
China’s restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19 are forcing assemblers to shut down factories and closed-loop devices are becoming difficult to maintain.
These measures result in the blocking of motorways, ports and the limitation of movement of employees. They are also leaving countless factories awaiting a hypothetical green light from the government to reopen, disrupting global supply chains.
Apple Inc supplier Pegatron Corp announced this week that it will suspend its factories in Shanghai and Kunshan, where supply chain experts say it produces the iPhone 13, iPhone SE series and iPhone SE series. other older models.
Quanta Computer Inc, which produces about three-quarters of Apple’s Macbooks worldwide, also shut down, which could have a more severe impact on shipments, analysts said.
“Apple may consider transferring orders from Pegatron to Foxconn, but we believe the volume may be limited due to the logistics issue and the difficulty of adjusting equipment,” said Eddie Han, principal analyst at Isaiah Research, based on Taipei.
According to Eddie Han, in the worst-case scenario, Pegatron’s production of 6-10 million iPhone units could be delayed if the lockdowns last two months and Apple cannot transfer orders.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
Some suppliers may transfer their production elsewhere. Unimicron Technology Corp, a manufacturer of printed circuit boards for companies such as Apple, told Reuters it could count on other factories in Hubei province and Taiwan.
But disruptions in logistics and transport remain a major problem.
Laptop makers Compal Electronics Inc., which makes PCs for Dell Technologies Inc., and Lenovo Group Ltd could suffer with factory bases in Tawan and Kunshan, respectively.
Dell and Lenovo also did not respond to a request for comment. (Report Josh Horwitz Shanghai and Sarah Wu Taipei French version Dina Kartit, said by Jean-Michel Blot)