Apple supplier Wistron puts India plant loss at up to US$7 million | BBL 2021 Cricket Matches

The ransacking of an iPhone production facility in India caused damage of up to NT$200 million (US$7.12 million). In contrast, production facilities were not as severely hit as claimed, Wistron, its Taiwan-based operator, said on Tuesday (Dec 15).

On Saturday, thousands of contract workers gathered on the grounds of the Wistron site on the outskirts of Bengaluru's Indian tech hub to demand unpaid salaries and better working hours.

The crowd turned aggressive when police arrived, and footage from the scene shows individuals armed with rods and sticks, destroying equipment and vandalizing vehicles. Wistron reported damage to the tune of US$60 million in a police report seen by Reuters.

In a report to the Taiwan Stock Exchange on Tuesday, the company said significant manufacturing facilities and warehouses had not sustained as severe damage as local media claimed. That damages were initially estimated at NT$100 million to NT$200 million.

The organization is doing its utmost to get the facility back up and running, it added. In early Asian trading, Wistron shares dropped around 2.5%, underperforming Taiwan's broader stock market.

'The company has cooperated and continues to negotiate with the insurance company with the relevant authorities and the police investigation,' Wistron continued, without elaborating.

Apple said it was investigating on Monday whether Wistron had flouted guidelines for suppliers. Apple said it was sending workers and auditors to the site and cooperating in their investigation with the police. Wistron is one of the largest global suppliers to Apple.

It has been producing iPhones in India for almost four years, and its operation has been seen as a success story for the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which seeks to improve demand.