Chinese vendor Huawei has announced that it will build a new wireless communications product factory in France.
In a release, the company said that the new automated and intelligent facility will specialize in 4G and 5G equipment, and will primarily manufacture supplies for the vendor’s European customers.
Huawei highlighted that it had selected France for this new manufacturing facility due to the country’s mature industrial infrastructure, its highly educated labor force and its geographic position.
“This manufacturing plant will add to Huawei’s integrated value chain within Europe, improving the timeliness and reliability of Huawei’s deliveries to European customers,” Huawei said in a statement.
The company noted that the new smart factory will require an overall investment of 200 million euros ($220 million).
“Construction will utilize some of the world’s most advanced production equipment and tools from local leading partners,” Huawei added. “The plant will also have a demo center, showcasing the wireless base station production, software loading, and testing process. The center will be open to carriers, governments, and related authorities, demonstrating Huawei’s positive stance on Europe’s call for digital sovereignty.”
“The plant will also be one of Huawei’s first implementations of its advanced manufacturing technologies in Europe. This will drive the technical competitiveness of European industry and boost the resilience of local supply chains and infrastructure,” the vendor said.
Huawei estimates that this project will generate 1 billion euros worth of products annually and directly create 500 jobs.
Huawei recently confirmed in an event in London that it has already secured 91 contracts for the deployment of high-speed 5G networks worldwide, including 47 commercial contracts with European operators. A total of 27 5G contracts had been already signed with Asian carriers.
Its partners in Europe include companies such as Spain’s Telefonica, Sunrise of Switzerland and Dutch telco KPN.
Ryan Ding, executive director of the board and president of Huawei’s carrier business group, also said that the vendor has already shipped over 600,000 5G Massive MIMO Active Antenna Units (AAUs).
