The world’s leading manufacturer of computers and peripherals Hewlett-Packard (HP) is establishing a plant in cooperation with the Taiwanese company Foxconn to manufacture computers in Turkey’s western district of Corlu. Having an annual production capacity of 2.4 million units, the factory will triple the amount of computers produced in Turkey.

HP expects to achieve a USD 1 billion turnover from its new investment, and will export 90 percent of its “Made in Turkey” branded PCs. The site, worth USD 60 million, will employ some two thousand people. The facility will start test runs by the end of the summer, while the first shipments are expected in December.

HP Personal Systems Group Turkey Manager Ertug Ayik commented on the investment, saying “This is the first time a global PC producer like HP has invested in Turkey. Sales of PCs in Turkey reached USD 2.6 billion in 2009. This figure is expected to reach USD 4.9 by 2012. This fast growth trend in the Turkish market expedited HP’s decision to invest in the country”.