Apple CEO Tim Cook and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick opened a new Apple manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, on Thursday. The site already assembles AI servers and will start building Mac Mini desktop computers later this year, and it arrives as Cook nears the end of his run as CEO.
Cook was joined by Lutnick and other Trump administration officials to open a new manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, offering free training and educational classes for businesses. The facility is also where Apple will manufacture Mac Mini desktop computers later this year, the company said.
Houston Site Adds Mac Mini to Its Lineup
AI servers for Apple are already assembled at a portion of the Houston location, and Mac Mini production is set to begin there later this year. Classes offered at the site cover topics such as using machine learning for quality control.
Houston is Apple's second U.S. learning site for manufacturing training, following a center the company opened in Michigan offering similar classes and training. Apple leaders have previously appeared with Trump officials to announce Mac Pro and server manufacturing in the U.S., but the Mac Mini is a consumer-facing product with higher sales volumes.
Chips Sourced From the US and From Taiwan
Cook said Apple sourced more than 20 billion chips from the U.S. last year and 100 million chips from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s facility in Arizona. The company has chosen to emphasize the components, chips, and cover glass it builds in the U.S., even as President Trump has for years pressed Apple to make its iPhone domestically.
Apple has tried to appease the administration. But it's also worried that Trump's proposed tariffs could snarl its business.
A $600 Billion Manufacturing Pledge
Last August, Apple introduced a $600 billion spending commitment it called the American Manufacturing Program, covering orders, purchase commitments, and efforts to expand production capacity with several semiconductor companies. Apple has never indicated it would manufacture a U.S. iPhone, though it has said many of its components are made domestically and that it diversified its supply chain away from being entirely in China.
Cook's Final Weeks as CEO
The joint appearance comes in the final weeks of Cook's tenure as Apple's chief executive. On Sept. 1, he becomes executive chairman, and longtime hardware executive John Ternus takes over as CEO. Apple said Cook would "assist with certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world."
Source: US Top News and Analysis
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