Foxconn, Apple's top supplier, is building a factory for high-definition '8K' TV screens in Wisconsin
The announcement was made at the White House on Wednesday afternoon. White House officials said that the project would create 3,000 jobs and Foxconn will invest $10 billion into the factory.
The plant will be in House Speaker Paul Ryan's district, and represents a big win for the Republican leader. Other elected officials involved in the negotiations included President Trump, White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, Vice President Mike Pence, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Foxconn CEO Terry Gou was the first official to speak at the announcement, and his short talk focused on high-definition "8k" displays, which would have higher resolution than most current TV screens on the market, which are sold as "4K."
The planned Greenfield, Wisconsin factory, will make flat-panel LCD screens for televisions and other electronics. Bloomberg previously reported that the screens could be used to make Sharp-branded televisions.
"Mr. President, I have met you three times. Each time, you have emphasized the importance of manufacturing in America," Gou said at the announcement. "And providing high-skilled jobs for American workers."
"Mr. President, the eagle flies," referring to the project's codename, Project Flying Eagle. The Jared Kushner-led White House Office of American Innovation was also thanked by Gou.
Foxconn is best known as Apple's primary manufacturing partner, and it assembles products like the iPhone. Apple spent $75 billion with Foxconn in 2016.
Trump said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that Apple CEO Tim Cook had agreed to build "three big plants - big, big, big."
But Foxconn is not Apple, though; Apple is just one of Foxconn's many customers. Apple declined to comment on Trump's remarks, on where or when the plants were planned for, or on whether the Foxconn announcement was related to Apple.
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