BusinessWeek Profiles 'The Man Who Makes Your iPhone'

BusinessWeek has published an in depth look at Foxconn founder Terry Gou. The article details how Gou built his empire and how he is dealing with issues currently facing the company.

As he squeezes costs throughout his empire, Gou also takes huge risks on behalf of his major clients. In Chongqing, in central China, Foxconn is spending $1 billion on a factory that will produce 30 million machines a year just for Hewlett-Packard. When Apple's iPhone4 was nearing production, Foxconn and Apple discovered that the metal frame was so specialized that it could be made only by an expensive, low-volume machine usually reserved for prototypes. Apple's designers wouldn't budge on their specs, so Gou ordered more than 1,000 of the $20,000 machines from Tokyo-based Fanuc. Most companies have just one. "Terry is a strong leader with a passion for excellence," says Tim Cook, Apple's chief operating officer. "He's a trusted partner and we are fortunate to work with him." The Longhua plant now produces 137,000 iPhones a day, or about 90 a minute.

If you are interested in the industry, this is a recommended read.


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