Taiwan's Foxconn mulls Brazil touch screen factories
Brazil is in negotiations with Taiwan IT giant Foxconn to open two factories to manufacture touch screens in a multi-billion dollar project, a top Brazilian official said Thursday.
"What is under discussion with Foxconn is a major investment to produce touch screens, which are so far only made in four countries in the world," said Science and Technology Minister Aloizio Mercadante.
"And Brazil would be the first Western country to produce them," he said, estimating the project would be worth several billion dollars.
He did not give any further details, other than to say there would also be Brazilian investors and the participation of the state-run Brazilian Development Bank.
In return Brazil was asking for "unrestricted technology transfer," he added.
Foxconn has been working in Brazil since 2003, and already operates four factories in Latin America's biggest economy. A fifth is being built in Jundiai, in Sao Paulo state.
During a visit to China in April, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said Foxconn, which makes iPads and iPhones, was considering investing $12 billion in Brazil to build computer and mobile phone components.
She said a working group had been formed to study the proposal.
(c) 2011 AFP
