Hon Hai Precision Industry Company held a groundbreaking ceremony this past weekend for its "Intelligent Automation R&D Facility", which will be built in the Taichung Science Park in Taiwan.

In July, Hon Hai's chairman Terry Gou said the company plans to over the next three years at the company's Foxconn factories.

In a statement, Hon Hai would not elaborate on the kind of automation its new R&D facility will produce, but said that it would be used in its factories across the globe. The company said it would also use the facility to tap opportunities to supply equipment in "intelligent automation."

Hon Hai plans to invest NT$6.7 billion (US$224 million) in the project, according to a from authorities of the Taichung Science Park.