Foxconn will build plant in Wisconsin

Foxconn, the manufacturer from Taiwan that makes electronics for Apple Inc's iPhones and other tech companies, announced on Wednesday that it will invest $10 billion in Wisconsin for a new manufacturing plant.

The project will create 13,000 jobs and should be completed by 2020, according to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. He said that the state will award $3 billion in incentives and sign a memorandum of understanding on the investment on Thursday.

Foxconn had considered building the plant in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, among other states.The company has facilities in Virginia and Indiana, each of which employ fewer than 1,000 workers, according to its website.

Foxconn announced the investment at the White House. CEO Terry Gou was flanked by Walker, Vice-President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan, who represents Wisconsin. President Donald Trump later joined them.

Trump has called for companies to build more products in the United States and open additional plants. He has made several announcements since his election in November about US investments by both foreign and domestic manufacturers, building on his campaign focus on boosting American jobs. Some of those announcements sought to take credit for previously announced investments.

Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has committed to build three big manufacturing plants in the United States. Apple did not comment.

The United States has added 70,000 manufacturing jobs since November, to nearly 12.4 million, but has not added any net factory jobs in the last two months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

REUTERS