Apple’s TrueDepth Tech Supplier Is Now Hiring at Sprawling U.S. Facility

Back in December of last year, Apple announced plans to dole out a whopping $390 million in U.S. investment capital to its exclusive, TrueDepth camera supplier, Finisar, marking the tech giant’s latest and most generous multi-million dollar investment in furthering its domestic manufacturing projects.

Now, for the very first time, we’re getting an up-close-and-personal look at the in-development manufacturing plant which Finisar purchased in accordance with Apple’s massive cash infusion, courtesy of local FOX News affiliate, KXII.

The facility, which clocks in at a sprawling, 700,000 square feet, is located in the Grayson County city of Sherman, Texas, and was formerly owned and operated by defunct silicon wafer maker, MEMC Electronic Materials.

MEMC had been operating profitably from as far back as 1997, but fell on trying times in the early 2000s when it was forced to downsize multiple times before completely shuttering its doors in 2011.

Since then, according to KXII, the building has been maintained by long-time Grayson County resident and former MEMC employee, Bruce Armstrong, who now holds a position with Finisar.

“It’s an exciting adventure to see the site revitalized, people back in and moving around,” Armstrong said, adding that the facility, which will ultimately employ as many as 600 full-time workers, will be used exclusively to build advanced VCSEL laser systems which are the cornerstone of Apple’s TrueDepth technology.

Given his experience and tenure, Armstrong was hired on as the facilities manager of Finisar’s new property, where several other managers, engineers and former MEMC employees have also been hired already and are actively working alongside construction personnel to get the project complete.

“Everything this facility offers is necessary for us. It’s a super set of what’s required. It’s just a big, strong, versatile building,” added Curtis Barratt, Finisar’s VP and General Manager, who added that “We’re making Sherman the VCSEL capital of the world. Everything from self-driving cars, to gesture recognition, to facial recognition, all of these applications are going to make this a very, very important location.”

KXII noted that a hiring fair will be held this year on Thursday, April 12, at the Denison, TX Hilton Garden Inn, where Finisar executives will be present and conducting interviews for multiple available positions with the firm.

For more information on available jobs, be sure to visit KXII’s website, where they’ve provided links to all of the firm’s available job listings.

As far as when the facility will be stocked and ready to roll, Barratt noted that “About 90 percent of the equipment is on order,” and that said equipment should start coming in around April or May of this year.

“We’ll start the line […] by August and production will get going by October,” he added.