[Updated with statement from OnePlus India]
Oppo has suspended manufacturing at its Greater Noida facility after six staffers test Cornavirus positive. The company had started it’s production line in the third phase of the nation-wide lockdown after getting appropriate permissions from the district authorities. However, now, it’s awaiting the test results of all of 3,000+ employees who work in the factory that also serves as an OEM partner to Realme and OnePlus.
Oppo’s manufacturing facility was operating at 30 per cent of its total workforce of 10,000+ staffers. "OPPO had obtained permission from the state authorities to resume production, following the MHA directive. As an organization that places the safety of all our employees and citizens at the forefront, we had not only undertaken COVID-19 tests for all employees at manufacturing facility in Greater Noida but also suspended all operations at the plant. We are undertaking stringent measures to keep the employees safe," it said in an official statement to the media.
Realme Mobiles also received local permission to restart its production line with a 25 per cent workforce after the company announced it’s latest Narzo 10 lineup in India. In a statement issued to the media, Realme assures that it “has separate production lines for the manufacturing of its smartphones and its staff has been isolated from the workers who were tested positive.”
"We have already prepared initial stocks of our new Narzo series and some popular models including the realme 6 series in advance for our customers. As a responsible brand, sales and stocks of products are not our focus right now. We will not rush to resume production but will follow Government instructions and our OEM partner OPPO's factory regulations till 100% worker’s safety are guaranteed," the statement adds.
As India enters the fourth phase of nation-wide lockdown that is expected to go on until May 31, more companies are expected to come out of slumber with new products and online events. Realme has already teased its first television and smartwatch launch for May 25 in India and it’s unlikely to defer it to a later date. This is because most of the current and upcoming IoT products by Realme are imported. Realme says, ”We are planning to start local manufacturing soon by following the “Make in India” initiative once the situation gets better.”
Oppo’s Greater Noida facility is also used by OnePlus for manufacturing the latest OnePlus 8 series that’s set to go on sale from May 29 for the general public. "The health and wellbeing of our employees, partners and contractors remains our top priority. We are closely monitoring the current situation while ensuring necessary measures are being implemented in accordance with the Government’s instructions. In line with our recent sale announcements for the OnePlus 8 series 5G, we are moving forward with our sales schedule as planned," said a OnePlus spokesperson.
Greater Noida is currently home to more than 269 Coronavirus cases with as many as 189 recoveries from the disease till May 17. The latest government guidelines for the fourth phase of lockdown allow e-commerce companies to deliver non-essential products to its customers residing in red zones as well. So, it’s expected that more smartphone manufacturers and electronics maker will resume manufacturing in the next few days.