Hisense R&D centre for Cape Town

The move would give local software developers the opportunity to build applications for hardware being manufactured at Hisense factories, Alan Winde, Western Cape's finance, economic development and tourism MEC said last week. Hisense entered the mobile devices market earlier this year and its smartphones and tablets are already in SA stores.

It has identified mobile devices, including tablets as its next "big thing" after household appliances and local software developers could be given the opportunity to build the apps for the tablets and phones.

Last month the electronics giant opened its R350m factory at Atlantis in the Western Cape. Hisense says it will provide up to 1,200 jobs during the next three to five years. This first phase of the plant, which has already created 300 jobs, will manufacture and assemble 400,000 TV sets and 400,000 refrigerators a year.

The main components, such as the printed circuit boards used to connect the electronic components, will be manufactured in Atlantis, while the most expensive TV components will be imported from other suppliers.

The second facility will manufacture washing machines and air-conditioning systems and at a later stage, phones and tablets.

China ties explored

The Western Cape plant is one of 19 Hisense manufacturing plants based outside of China.

Last week Winde met Hisense vice-president Lan Lin at the company's Qingdao, China head office. Winde and Agriculture MEC Gerrit van Rensburg are on a trade and investment mission to China to promote increased economic opportunities between the two countries.

Winde said that the provincial government had started a second round of talks with the electronics company on making further foreign direct investments in the province.

He said that Hisense was considering the establishment of a research and development centre in the Western Cape. "It is envisaged that this will give our local software developers the opportunity to build applications for the hardware being manufactured at the Hisense factories. It links perfectly with our plan to focus on IT and technology in the Western Cape," Winde said.

The Department of Trade and Industry gave Hisense a R28.6m grant to open the Atlantis plant and the Industrial Development Corporation has made a commitment to provide some funding for the second phase in terms of a memorandum of understanding with Hisense.

Source: Business Day via I-Net Bridge