MacBook manufacturer Quanta Computer halts production in Shanghai, putting supplies of Apple’s top-tier laptops at risk
- The Taiwanese manufacturer said it has suspended production to comply with Shanghai’s Covid-19 control measures, which have severely squeezed supply chains
- Quanta is known for producing MacBook Pros, which could contribute further to Apple shortages after Pegatron Corporation stopped making electronics for brands
Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta Computer said on Wednesday that it has halted production in Shanghai due to pandemic control measures, putting production of Apple’s latest MacBook Pro laptops at risk.
The company said in an announcement on its official website that the temporary closure is in line with pandemic control measures required by the Shanghai government, and it does not know when it will be able to resume production.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a TF International Securities analyst known for his reliable reports on Apple, noted that Quanta is essentially “the sole supplier of high-end MacBook Pros”. Demand has been strong for the latest top-tier MacBook Pros, which launched at the end of last year with Apple’s powerful new M1 Max processor. Now delivery times have “roughly increased by 3-5 weeks after the China lockdown,” Kuo said on Twitter.
Quanta and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Shanghai, a city of 25 million, announced a two-stage lockdown late last month in an effort to control the outbreak of the Omnicron Covid-19 variant. The measures follow the country’s “zero-covid” policy, in contrast with many other countries that have moved towards living with the virus.