Karachi – Haier Pakistan has chalked up another achievement, becoming the first company in Pakistan to assemble laptops – a development that puts Pakistan on the road to acquiring the necessary expertise in the manufacture of hi-tech electronics. As a result Haier Pakistan has clinched a government order to supply locally assembled Haier brand laptops to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), a constitutionally established independent, autonomous body which oversees, regulates and funds initiatives in the higher education sector in Pakistan. The laptops will be given to deserving students in the nation’s leading colleges and universities as part of the Prime Minister’s initiative for free laptops for deserving students.
The laptops are being assembled at the sprawling Haier Ruba manufacturing facility in Lahore by highly trained Pakistani technicians working under the direct supervision of Chinese engineers. The manufacturing facility, one of Pakistan’s largest industrial complexes spread over one million square feet and employing a workforce of thousands, has a designed capacity of 3 million units of high end home appliances and electronics including air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, small domestic appliances, LED television sets, mobile phones and laptops.
Says Javed Afridi, CEO of Haier Ruba Manufacturing, “the establishment of the laptop assembly plant marks yet another achievement for us and we, the Haier family are very proud of this”. He said that Haier Pakistan is the first company to assemble laptops here at home”, and added, “this achievement brings with it a huge responsibility which we intend to fulfill with great distinction and honor”. The laptop assembly plant is a significant step for Pakistan in many ways – especially in terms of technology transfer, reducing the import burden on the country’s foreign exchange resources and in terms of poverty alleviation through job creation”.—PR
