Global electronics manufacturing leader Foxconn has expressed interest in establishing a facility at the proposed Solano Foundry in Solano County, California. The company, which employs more than 800,000 people globally, has faced scrutiny over its labor practices, particularly at its Chinese plants where allegations of workers’ rights violations have been prevalent. Despite past controversies, including multiple worker suicide attempts in 2010, Foxconn has made efforts to improve conditions, although challenges remain.
In a letter obtained by The Reporter, Ted Dubbs, a senior vice president at Foxconn, highlighted the appeal of the Solano Foundry for expanding the company’s manufacturing operations in California. Dubbs emphasized the project’s potential benefits, stating, “The features and benefits within the Solano Foundry are very attractive and would provide a more competitive environment for Foxconn to expand its manufacturing footprint in California.”
Greg Matter, vice chairman of JLL, sent an email to city officials, including Bret Prebula, the city manager of Suisun City, and Dee Dee Myers, director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, urging them to expedite the approval process for the Solano Foundry. Matter’s email suggested that with a streamlined pathway, the area could attract significant investments, estimating the potential for over 9,000 jobs and the development of more than 7 million square feet of manufacturing space.
The timeline for site selection for a company of Foxconn’s size can stretch up to 24 months. Matter pointed out that if a predictable path for approvals could be established, the Solano Foundry could become a leading choice for manufacturers seeking to establish presence in Northern California.
In their correspondence, Matter and John Gates, JLL’s CEO of Leasing Advisory, noted that in 2023, JLL Industrial managed $23 billion in transactions and oversaw 552 million square feet of industrial properties. They emphasized the need for attractive locations that include a supportive ecosystem for manufacturing, including workforce housing.
Dubbs urged California legislators to recognize the urgency of the Solano Foundry project. “California has already demonstrated an ability to permit high-priority projects on accelerated timelines,” he commented, expressing hope for legislative support to move the project forward.
While Foxconn has established a presence in the United States, with facilities in Sunnyvale and San Jose, previous ventures have not always met expectations. The company’s plant in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, announced with great fanfare in 2018 alongside then-President Donald Trump, ultimately fell short of its promise. Originally projected to create 13,000 jobs for manufacturing high-definition televisions, the facility has since been repurposed as a storage site, employing only about 1,200 workers.
In an interview with The Reporter, Prebula expressed optimism about the potential for Foxconn’s involvement in Suisun City, describing the proposed annexation as “jobs-led.” He stressed the importance of avoiding bureaucratic delays, suggesting that a comprehensive review could be completed within the 18-20 month timeline outlined by JLL. “Elon Musk went to space in that timeline with SpaceX,” he noted.
When questioned about Foxconn’s labor practices, Prebula acknowledged the need for local and state oversight to ensure favorable working conditions. “If you look at the history of corporations for around the last 20 years, many of them have done some not very good things in the name of profits,” he remarked. He further expressed hope that California’s labor standards could address potential concerns regarding worker treatment.
As of now, California Forever has not provided comments in response to multiple requests from The Reporter regarding the project. The North Bay Business Journal has contributed historical context on Foxconn’s operations, providing insight into the company’s past challenges and the implications of its potential expansion into Solano County.
