Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) is planning to expand its investment in the Czech Republic, according to the English-language Prague Daily Monitor.
The online newspaper cited a report from Czech Information Agency’s CIA News as saying that Hon Hai, known as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康) outside of Taiwan, is expected to invest billions of Czech krone (1 krone equals US$0.046) by the end of next year.
The planned investment will be aimed at rolling out medical care products for the Czech and US markets, the report said, but did not specifying the size of the investment.
Hon Hai already operates Czech production sites in Pardubice and Kutna Hora, employing a workforce of about 4,000.
Its operations include a research and development center and automated production lines assembling a wide range of products, including cellphones and cloud technology-based devices.
Hon Hai is likely to invest further in the Czech Republic for employee recruitment and will also assign funds to meet other personnel costs for production, the report said.
Hon Hai is the nation’s second-largest exporter, the report said.
Chinese-language media in Taiwan yesterday said that Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) flew on his private jet to the Czech Republic on Aug. 21 and returned home on Monday.
Czech media said that Hon Hai, the world’s largest contract electronics maker, has secured orders from California-headquartered Inogen Inc to ship portable oxygen concentrators for people with breathing problems, starting from October.
The US company specializes in developing oxygen therapy technology, providing lightweight and travel-approved portable oxygen concentrators and peripheral products.
Hon Hai secured orders from Inogen through its enterprise information system division, and a project team visited Inogen’s headquarters before securing orders from the US firm, the Czech reports said.
The division has focused on a variety of products, including PC and PC peripherals, industrial computers, point-of-service systems, automated teller machines, industrial automation, automotive systems, e-commerce and software development, but has now entered the medical care product development sector.
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