Digitimes reports today that Foxconn Electronics has recently started up mass production of iPads at new plants in Chengdu, China, at a rate of approximately 10,000 units per day per plant (there's no mention of exactly how many plants Foxconn has in Chengdu though). According to DigiTimes, Foxconn had initially denied that it was to start making iPads at the Chengdu plants, and in fact has still to make any comment confirming or denying the reports, but DigiTimes says that sources from upstream component makers have told them that Foxconn has been shipping iPads from the Chengdu site this November, and that they expect it to be a major supplier of iPads at the start of 2011, with approximately 50 iPad production lines in operation at the Chengdu plants, with a projected annual maximum capacity of around 40 million units. Digitimes concludes with its previously stated prediction that the iPad 2 is due to be launched by the end of the first quarter of 2011, and they always seem to have very good sources in China, so it may well be an accurate prediction.

Source: Digitimes Foxconn plants in Chengdu, China start mass production of iPads