HMD Global, popularly recognized for producing Nokia-branded smartphones, recently made a breakthrough by becoming the first international smartphone manufacturer to relocate its production to Europe. The debut product to emerge from this shift will be the Nokia XR21, designed specifically with enterprise clients in mind. Touting remarkable resilience, the device is described as having ‘military-grade durability certification’ and an IP69K rating, implying it can withstand dust, heat, impact, and water damage.
What sets this smartphone in a league of its own is the attention to security and localized data storage. Consumer and corporate data from all HMD manufactured phones have been stored and processed on HMD’s servers in Finland since 2019. The testing for software and malware is also conducted in Europe, allowing stringent security checks.
In tune with Green Revolution, sustainability is deeply emphasized in this product. The Nokia XR21 offers a chassis made from 100% recycled aluminium and its two-day battery life, claims to support 60% more charges over its lifetime. Further announcement underlined ‘additional stages’ in the European production process aimed at reducing emissions further.
Jean-Francois Baril, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of HMD Global expressed delight about the product and the manufacturing process. “We are thrilled to be manufacturing the Nokia XR21, our signature rugged 5G smartphone, in Europe,” he stated. “We are dedicated to investing in security, technology and manufacturing processes that make our devices more secure and longer lasting. Our future plans include further investment into software security, with the intention to offer customised software and security features directly to customers.”
This move to manufacturing in Europe will be commemorated with a unique ‘Made in Europe’ edition of the phone, which comes with its unique serial number and a certificate of origin in the box.
Since initiation in 2016, HMD Global has introduced various lines of Nokia-branded phones, some of which include so-called dumb phones or enterprise-focused units like XR21.
Interestingly, these simpler phones seem to be garnering a significant market, with a surge in sales associated with a growing desire for ‘digital detox’. According to an estimate by Counterpoint Research in August, sales are slated to reach 2.8 million in the US alone this year.
Although this manufacturing operation may seem humble in comparison to what East Asian smartphone manufacturing titans produce, it’s a welcome change to have a slice of the action in Europe. The shift certainly attests to HMD Global’s commitment to manufacturing exceptional quality products while prioritizing security and sustainability.
