Sony Moves 90% Of Camera Production Away From China

Hope this doesn’t mean another geopolitical shakeup is behind the corner. Sony moves most of their camera production away from China, to Thailand.

Nikkei reports:

And, yes, it appears that the decision has to do with the political tensions and trade challenges between China and the US/EU. Summing it up:

• The Sony Group has transferred the production of cameras sold in Japan, the US and Europe from China to a factory in Thailand. In principle, factories in China only make products for China.
• In response to the conflict between the United States and China, the transfer to the United States was carried out first, and the transfer to Japan and Europe was also completed by the end of 2022.
• The risk of China becoming the core of the global supply chain is increasing due to the intensification of the US-China conflict and the lockdown accompanying the “zero corona” policy. Companies are gearing up to avoid supply chain malfunctions.
• In 2022, Sony sold about 2.11 million cameras worldwide. Of these, 150,000 units are destined for China, with more than 90% being destined for Japan, the United States, and Europe. Most of the production has been transferred to Thailand.
• For camera lenses, the company plans to continue supplying products made in China outside of the country.

Previously, Canon too moved their production to domestic factories.

[via Digicame-Info]