Chinese smartphone maker Vivo has started manufacturing at its new facility in Greater Noida. The new plant covers about 169 acres and has an annual production capacity of 60 million units, which can be increased to 120 million units once fully operational.
In the first quarter of 2024, Vivo became the largest smartphone maker in India by volume, surpassing Samsung with a 16.2% market share, according to IDC. The new facility is part of Vivo’s strategy to boost domestic manufacturing and focus on products designed for Indian consumers.
Vivo’s CEO, Jerome Chen, highlighted their “Design for India” initiative, aiming to create phones that meet local tastes and preferences. The Greater Noida plant has already produced over 150 million smartphones.
This expansion is part of Vivo’s Rs 7,500 crore investment plan announced last year, with Rs 3,500 crore invested so far. Vivo aims to double its manufacturing capacity and strengthen its commitment to “Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
In 2023, over 99% of Vivo smartphones sold in India were locally manufactured, up from 26% in 2014. Vivo recently moved out of its older Greater Noida facility, which had a capacity of 40 million devices and employed about 10,000 workers. That plant was taken over by Bhagwati Enterprises, part of Micromax Informatics.
Vivo has provided jobs to over 15,000 Indians through its manufacturing facility and claims to have created 200,000 direct and indirect job opportunities in the country. The company plans to increase the localization of key components like camera modules, memory, and OLED displays, and aims to empower Indian leaders to head their operations.
Vivo has exported smartphones worth around Rs 400 crore, supporting India’s goal to become a major export hub. The company currently has six flagship stores in India and plans to increase this number to 10 in 2024. Vivo also has over 1,000 distribution partners, 30,000 brand associates, and around 70,000 retail touchpoints across the country.
