Around this time last year, the US kicked off a tariff war that sent shockwaves through the global tech industry. Major American tech companies found themselves scrambling. Companies were reworking supply chains, adjusting pricing strategies, and quietly shifting production to avoid being hit too hard.
While it may feel like the most chaotic phase of that period has passed, the aftershocks are still being felt. And now, Apple appears to be responding, with plans to move some of its Mac Mini production to Houston, Texas.
“Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing, and we’re proud to significantly expand our footprint in Houston with the production of Mac mini starting later this year,” Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO said in a statement.
The move isn’t a dramatic pullout from Asia, nor is it Apple suddenly “bringing manufacturing home” in a sweeping way. Instead, the company will begin assembling some Mac Mini units later this year at a Foxconn facility in north Houston, the same site that already builds Apple’s AI servers. One of the buildings, currently operating as a warehouse, will be converted into roughly 220,000 square feet of manufacturing space dedicated to the desktop computer. Production in Asia will continue, with the US line expected to primarily serve local demand.
The move also ties back to politics in the country. After US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs of up to 25% on products made overseas, Apple announced a $600 billion US investment commitment spread over four years. The Houston expansion forms part of that broader pledge.
Alongside the Mac Mini assembly line, Apple plans to open a new training centre focused on advanced manufacturing techniques, aimed at students and supplier employees.
