Hisense is considering manufacturing smartphones at its South African factory in Atlantis, Cape Town.
“The Department of Trade and Industry told us we are the first global brand to consider manufacturing mobile phones locally,” said General Manager of Hisense South Africa, Youbo Li.
Li said it would be a win-win if it is feasible for Hisense to manufacture mobile devices in South Africa. It would create jobs, and give Hisense an advantage in the local market.
“We are busy with a feasibility study. There is a lot of homework to do still,” said Li.
Smartphones currently make up a small percentage of Hisense South Africa’s revenue, but is a huge potential market – with quantities ten-times greater than TVs, said Li.
Hisense is currently the top TV brand in South Africa, ranked by units sold, and also offers a range of fridges in the country.
The company will not become complacent, though, and will continue to look for growth opportunities.
“The majority of our growth is coming from Africa and new product categories,” said Li.
He said they see South Africa as their “base camp” from where they can target the rest of the continent.
Li’s statement comes after the announcement that Hisense may bring its latest smartphones – the H11 Infinity Pro and A2 Pro – to South Africa
