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Flex, formerly Flextronics, is a global electronics manufacturing and supply-chain services company.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

Flex Ltd. is a Singapore-domiciled multinational electronics manufacturing services and original design manufacturing company whose U.S. corporate headquarters are in Austin, Texas. The company designs, engineers, manufactures, distributes, and services products and components for brand-owning companies rather than primarily selling finished goods under its own consumer label. Its work spans consumer electronics, communications infrastructure, healthcare and medical devices, automotive, industrial equipment, cloud and data-center hardware, and renewable-energy systems. The business began in 1969 as Flextronics, Inc., founded by Joe and Barbara-Ann McKenzie. It initially operated as an electronics manufacturing company and later developed into a large outsourced-production partner for technology brands. In 1990, the company adopted the name Flextronics International Ltd. and relocated its domicile to Singapore. Venture investment from Sequoia Capital in 1993 helped support its expansion, and the company returned to public ownership in 1994. Flex grew both organically and through acquisitions. A major turning point came in 2007, when it agreed to acquire Solectron for approximately $3.6 billion. The transaction was completed later that year and substantially increased Flextronics' manufacturing footprint, customer base, and capabilities in complex electronics production. The company also acquired the Dii Group in 1999, bringing in operations that later became relevant to a contract dispute with Beckman Coulter. Its manufacturing network has included facilities in more than 30 countries and has supported products ranging from televisions and personal computers to medical equipment, telecommunications systems, electric motorcycles, connected-home devices, solar trackers, and high-performance computing hardware. The company has served major technology and industrial customers, including Apple, LG Electronics, Lenovo, Brammo, Fitbit, and Huawei, although customer relationships and specific production contracts have changed over time. Flex has also pursued activities beyond traditional factory production. In 2012 it incubated Elementum, a supply-chain-management software venture, which was separated as an independent company in 2014. In 2015 it acquired the solar-tracking company Nextracker, then known as Nextpower, and purchased the Wink smart-home platform. Flex later sold Wink to i.am+ in 2017. These transactions reflected an effort to participate in design, software, energy infrastructure, and connected products as well as assembly. The company changed its corporate name from Flextronics to Flex in July 2015. The shorter name was intended to represent a broader business offering that included product design, engineering, manufacturing, logistics, and after-market services. In December 2018, Michael M. McNamara resigned as chief executive officer, and Revathi Advaithi became CEO in February 2019. Under Advaithi, Flex has continued to position itself as a diversified manufacturing and supply-chain partner serving industries with complex regulatory, engineering, and production requirements. Flex's business model is primarily business-to-business. It generally earns revenue from manufacturing, engineering, supply-chain, logistics, and related services performed for other companies. Its competitive proposition rests on global scale, manufacturing expertise, supplier management, regional production capacity, engineering resources, and the ability to transfer programs among facilities. The company remains an active global electronics manufacturing services provider, while its facilities and operations remain exposed to geopolitical tensions, tariffs, customer concentration, component shortages, regulatory requirements, and disruptions affecting manufacturing sites.

History

Flex traces its origins to 1969, when Joe and Barbara-Ann McKenzie founded Flextronics, Inc. The enterprise developed in the expanding market for outsourced electronics production, in which brand owners transferred some manufacturing, assembly, and supply-chain activities to specialized partners. Over time, Flextronics expanded its capabilities from factory assembly into engineering, procurement, logistics, product introduction, and lifecycle support. In 1990, the company changed its name to Flextronics International Ltd. and moved its corporate domicile to Singapore. Sequoia Capital provided venture funding in 1993, and Flextronics became publicly held again in 1994. The company expanded internationally through new facilities and acquisitions, including the 1999 purchase of the Dii Group. By the end of the 1990s and into the 2000s, it had become a significant global electronics manufacturing services provider. IndustryWeek ranked it third in its 2000 list of best-managed companies. A defining expansion occurred in 2007. Flextronics offered to acquire Solectron for about $3.6 billion, and the transaction was completed by the end of October. Solectron became a Flextronics subsidiary, adding manufacturing capacity, customers, and technical resources. In the following years, Flextronics won or expanded programs for companies in consumer electronics, communications, medical technology, and industrial markets. It manufactured LG television receivers in Mexico, entered a production relationship with Brammo for electric motorcycles, and signed a European manufacturing arrangement with Lenovo. Flextronics also explored adjacent technology businesses. It incubated Elementum, a supply-chain-management software company, in 2012; Elementum was separated from Flextronics in 2014. In the same period, Flextronics manufactured Apple's Mac Pro in Texas. The company was also named as the manufacturer associated with the Fitbit Force recall in 2014, after reports that the wearable device caused skin irritation. In 2015, Flextronics adopted the shorter corporate name Flex. That year it acquired Nextpower, subsequently known as Nextracker, for approximately $330 million, extending its activities into solar-energy infrastructure. It also acquired the Wink smart-home platform in November. Flex had previously supplied Wink hardware and firmware, including the Wink Hub and Wink Relay. The company sold Wink to i.am+ in 2017 for approximately $38.7 million. Leadership changed at the end of the decade. Michael M. McNamara resigned as CEO on December 31, 2018, and Revathi Advaithi was announced as his successor in February 2019. The company has continued to operate as a large, globally distributed manufacturing and supply-chain partner, with production and service activities in more than 30 countries and exposure to industries including communications, healthcare, automotive, industrial technology, consumer electronics, cloud infrastructure, and renewable energy. Flex's history also includes operational and legal controversies. Beckman Coulter sued over an alleged contract breach connected to circuit-board production after Flex acquired the relevant Dii Group operation; the dispute ended with a reported $23 million payment by Flextronics. A former executive pleaded guilty in a case involving the disclosure of confidential shipment data related to USB chargers for iPhones and iPods. In 2019, amid U.S. restrictions on Huawei, Flex reportedly retained Huawei-related equipment, materials, and unfinished products at its Zhuhai facility for a period before some assets were recovered through third parties. In 2025, a Flex facility in Mukachevo, Ukraine, was reported to have suffered extensive damage in a Russian airstrike, illustrating the vulnerability of globally distributed manufacturing networks to geopolitical and security events.

  • 2019

    Revathi Advaithi became CEO

    [1]

    Revathi Advaithi succeeded Michael M. McNamara as chief executive officer.

  • 2015

    Adopted the Flex name

    [1]

    The company changed its name from Flextronics to Flex.

  • 2015

    Adopted the Flex name and entered solar tracking through acquisition

    [1]

    The company changed its name from Flextronics to Flex and acquired Nextpower, later known as Nextracker, for approximately $330 million.

  • 2015

    Rebranded as Flex

    [4]

    Flextronics International Ltd. changed its corporate name to Flex Ltd. and repositioned the business around broader product lifecycle and technology services.

  • 2014

    Elementum spun off

    [1]

    Elementum became a separate company.

  • 2012

    Incubated Elementum

    [1]

    Flextronics incubated Elementum, a supply-chain-management software company.

  • 2007

    Acquired Solectron and Michael McNamara became CEO

    [1]

    Flextronics completed its approximately $3.6 billion acquisition of Solectron, creating a substantially larger EMS platform. Flextronics completed its approximately $3.6 billion acquisition of Solectron, creating a substantially larger EMS platform, and Michael McNamara became chief executive officer during a period in which the company continued expanding its global manufacturing and supply-chain platform.

  • 1999

    Acquired the Dii Group

    [1]

    The acquisition expanded Flextronics' operating base and later became relevant to a contract dispute with Beckman Coulter.

  • 1994

    Returned to public ownership and acquired Interflex

    [1]

    Flextronics became a publicly held company again, and its acquisition of Singapore-based Interflex helped accelerate its Asian manufacturing presence.

  • 1993

    Sequoia Capital provided venture funding

    [1]

    The company received venture capital support from Sequoia Capital during its international expansion.

Products and positioning

A global business-to-business electronics manufacturing, product lifecycle, and supply-chain partner for technology and industrial companies.

  • Core manufacturing service · 1969

    Electronics manufacturing services

    Flex provides outsourced production for electronic products and systems. Services can include component sourcing, printed circuit board assembly, systems integration, testing, packaging, and production transfer. The company generally manufactures products designed or specified by customers in consumer, communications, healthcare, automotive, industrial, and cloud markets rather than marketing a broad portfolio of finished products under the Flex name. The company manufactures printed-circuit-board assemblies, electronic subassemblies, and complete systems for customers in technology, communications, industrial, automotive, healthcare, and consumer markets. Production can include assembly, integration, testing, packaging, and regional distribution.

  • Engineering service

    Design and engineering services

    The company supports customers from early product definition through design, prototyping, industrialization, testing, and volume production. These capabilities allow brand owners to outsource parts of the product-development process as well as factory operations, particularly for products requiring complex electronics, regulatory compliance, and coordinated global sourcing. Flex supports customers from product concept and industrial design through engineering validation, prototyping, testing, and preparation for volume production. These services connect design decisions with manufacturing, sourcing, compliance, and service requirements.

  • Supply-chain service

    Supply-chain and lifecycle services

    Flex offers procurement, supplier management, logistics, distribution, repair, refurbishment, and other product-lifecycle services. Its value proposition is the coordination of engineering, manufacturing, and global movement of materials and finished products across multiple regions and customer programs.

  • Industry solution

    Communications and cloud infrastructure hardware

    Flex manufactures and supports equipment used in communications networks, data centers, and cloud infrastructure. Historical programs referenced in public material include smartphone and 5G-related production for Huawei, while the broader category includes complex assemblies and systems for communications-equipment customers.

  • Industry solution

    Healthcare and medical-device manufacturing

    The healthcare offering covers electronics and assemblies used in medical devices and related equipment. Such work requires controlled manufacturing, traceability, quality systems, and compliance with sector-specific regulations. Flex's historical work for medical-device companies also included circuit-board production.

  • Energy equipment · 2015

    Renewable-energy manufacturing

    Flex expanded into renewable-energy equipment through its 2015 acquisition of Nextpower, later known as Nextracker. Solar tracking systems orient photovoltaic panels to improve energy capture. The acquisition extended Flex's role from electronics production into specialized energy-infrastructure products.

  • Smart-home platform · 2015

    Wink connected-home platform

    Wink was a connected-home platform acquired by Flex in 2015. Flex had already supplied Wink hardware and firmware, including the Wink Hub and Wink Relay. The platform was sold to i.am+ in 2017 and is therefore no longer a Flex offering.

  • Supply-chain services

    Supply-chain solutions

    Flex provides procurement, materials management, supplier coordination, planning, logistics, and inventory services. These capabilities are designed to help customers manage complex component networks and coordinate production across multiple geographies.

  • Product lifecycle services

    Aftermarket and circular-economy services

    Flex supports products after initial sale through repair, returns management, refurbishment, resale, recycling, and other end-of-life processes. These services extend product lifecycles and can help customers recover value from returned or surplus equipment.

Controversies

  • 2025

    Mukachevo facility damaged in airstrike

    A Flex manufacturing site in Mukachevo, Ukraine, reportedly operating there since 2012, was extensively damaged in a Russian airstrike.

  • 2019

    Huawei-related goods held during tariff and export restrictions

    Reports said Flex retained Huawei production equipment, raw materials, and unfinished goods at its Zhuhai facility after the United States placed Huawei on its Entity List. The reported value was approximately 700 million yuan, and some goods were later recovered through third-party channels.

  • 2009

    Confidential USB charger shipment data disclosure

    A former Flextronics executive pleaded guilty to wire-fraud and securities-fraud offenses involving confidential shipment information concerning USB chargers used for U.S.-market iPhones and iPods.

  • 2001

    Beckman Coulter contract dispute

    Beckman Coulter sued after Flextronics acquired the Dii Group operation involved in producing circuit boards for a blood analyzer. Beckman alleged that Flextronics would not continue supplying the boards unless it purchased additional electronic components. The dispute concluded with a reported $23 million payment by Flextronics.

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Brand decisions

  • 2019

    Appoint Revathi Advaithi as CEOOther

    Background

    Michael M. McNamara resigned as chief executive officer at the end of 2018.

    Action taken

    Flex appointed Revathi Advaithi, previously an Eaton executive, as CEO.

    Aftermath

    Advaithi became the company's chief executive and continued its positioning as a diversified global manufacturing partner.

  • 2017

    Divest WinkM&A

    Background

    Flex reassessed its participation in the connected-home platform market.

    Action taken

    It sold Wink to i.am+.

    Aftermath

    Wink ceased to be part of Flex's portfolio.

    Reported sale price. US$38.7 million (2017)

  • 2015

    Rename Flextronics as FlexStrategy

    Background

    The company wanted its identity to reflect a broader role in design, engineering, manufacturing, and supply-chain services.

    Action taken

    It changed its corporate name from Flextronics to Flex.

    Aftermath

    Flex became the primary corporate brand while Flextronics remained an important historical name and alias.

  • 2015

    Acquire NextpowerM&A

    Background

    Flex pursued expansion into solar-energy infrastructure and tracking systems.

    Action taken

    It acquired Nextpower, later known as Nextracker, for approximately $330 million.

    Aftermath

    The transaction added solar-tracking capabilities to Flex's manufacturing and product portfolio.

    Reported acquisition price. Approximately US$330 million (2015)

  • 2015

    Acquire WinkM&A

    Background

    Flex sought to participate more directly in connected-home hardware and software.

    Action taken

    It acquired the Wink smart-home platform after serving as a strategic hardware and firmware supplier.

    Aftermath

    Flex sold Wink to i.am+ in 2017.

  • 2015

    Adopted the Flex corporate identityStrategy

    Background

    The company had expanded beyond traditional electronics assembly into design, engineering, supply-chain management, logistics, and product lifecycle services.

    Action taken

    Flextronics International Ltd. changed its corporate name to Flex Ltd. and promoted a broader technology-services positioning.

    Aftermath

    The company continued operating as a diversified global manufacturing and supply-chain partner under the Flex name.

  • 2007

    Acquire SolectronM&A

    Background

    Flextronics sought to expand its scale, manufacturing footprint, and customer coverage in electronics services.

    Action taken

    It offered approximately $3.6 billion for Solectron and completed the acquisition later in 2007.

    Aftermath

    Solectron became a Flextronics subsidiary and materially enlarged the combined EMS platform.

    Reported transaction value. Approximately US$3.6 billion (2007)

Recent events

  • Unconfirmed

    Reported

    Flex completes acquisition of EPC Power[6]

    Flex said it completed its acquisition of EPC Power, a provider of intelligent power conversion solutions for data center and grid applications. EPC Power is now part of Flex’s Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment.

  • Unconfirmed

    Reported

    Flex announces new company name for its spin-off[7]

    Flex announced a new company name for its spin-off, as reported by Ink World Magazine. The available headline does not state the new name, the spin-off's business scope, or a specific announcement date.

  • Reported

    Flex recognized as a 2021 CDP Supplier Engagement Leader[8]

    Flex announced that it received the 2021 CDP Supplier Engagement Leader recognition for its reported initiatives to measure and limit greenhouse gas emissions across its supply chain. It ranked in the top 8% of companies participating in the climate questionnaire.

  • Reported

    Flex completes acquisition of Anord Mardix[9]

    Flex completed its previously announced $540 million all-cash acquisition of Anord Mardix from Bertram Capital.

  • Reported

    Flex cuts full-year 2021 revenue outlook[10]

    Flex Ltd. cut its full-year 2021 revenue outlook to $24.8 billion–$25.8 billion from its prior guidance of $25.5 billion–$26.5 billion, while reaffirming its adjusted earnings outlook.

  • Reported

    Flex announces acquisition of Anord Mardix[11]

    Flex announced that it had acquired Anord Mardix in a $540 million all-cash deal. The transaction was expected to close at the end of 2021, subject to regulatory approval.

  • Reported

    Flex receives Lenovo European Logistics Excellence Award[12]

    Flex announced that it won Lenovo’s European Logistics Excellence Award for the third consecutive year. The award recognized its performance and flexibility in logistics.

  • Reported

    Fujitsu partners with Flex for its India business[13]

    Fujitsu said it had partnered with Flex to handle its business in India, including distribution and after-sales service.

  • Reported

    FLEX and Glia partner on digital member service[14]

    FLEX and Glia announced a partnership to enable FLEX credit union clients to provide digital-first member service using Glia's communication and collaboration platform.

  • Reported

    Flex announces emissions and sustainability targets[15]

    Flex said it would cut absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 from a 2019 base year, set supplier emissions-target requirements, work with customers on science-based targets, pursue zero waste at manufacturing and logistics sites, and reduce water withdrawals.

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