Apple's new iPad will go on sale March 16 and sellouts are widely expected, but the real hero will be the company's supply chain. It's a juggernaut that can move 1 million units in a product launch without blinking.
Indeed, Apple's supply chain is its secret weapon. After all, Apple was able to line up millions of new retina display panels and leapfrog rivals.
Here's a look at Apple's supply chain by the numbers.
1 million+: Number of units Apple is expected to sell when the new iPad launches March 16.
12: Countries that will sell the new iPad on March 16.
$7.1 billion: Amount expected to be spent in fiscal 2012 on "product tooling and manufacturing process equipment, and corporate facilities and infrastructure, including information systems hardware, software and enhancements."
$2.9 billion: Inventory component prepayments as of Dec. 31.
$13.4 billion: Outstanding off-balance sheet outsourced manufacturing and component purchase commitments as of Dec. 31.
156: Number of suppliers in Apple's supply chain.
97 percent: Portion those 156 suppliers represent in terms of Apple's procurement expenses.
229: Number of Apple supply chain audits performed in 2011. Of that sum, 188 were standard, 27 were process safety assessments and 14 were specialized environmental audits.
150 days: Time the typical purchase commitments cover the company's supply needs.
60: Maximum hours worked per person allowed under Apple's supply chain code.
1: Day of rest mandatory per seven days of work.
93 facilities: Number that had more than 50 percent of workers topping 60 hours at least 1 week of a 12 week sample.
39 percent: Portion of net sales in 2011 that came from customers in the U.S.
1 region: Asia is where the final assembly of all the company’s hardware products.
Two vendors: Two suppliers account for a significant portion of Apple's non-trade receivables.
2012-2022: Time frame where Apple's component agreements expire.
23.1 million: Metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from Apple in 2011. 61 percent of that was manufacturing, 5 percent transportation, 30 percent product use, 2 percent recycling; and 2 percent facilities.
Sources: SEC filings, Apple supplier responsibility and environmental reports.
See also:
- The iPad success story — giving us what we want, again
- Latest iPad may boost Apple's app, music revenue
- New iPad’s HD display: The future of killer mobile visualization
- Apple’s new weapon for enterprise adoption of the iPad: Configurator tool
- iSuppli: Apple will regain lost tablet market share
- New iPad’s most revolutionary feature is its battery
- You should still consider a 4G Apple iPad, I bought one myself
- CNET: Is the iPad’s display a slam dunk?
- What makes the new iPad tick: A peek inside