HMD Global claimed it had become the first major global smartphone company to bring manufacturing to Europe, starting with the assembly of the 5G-capable rugged Nokia XR21 in the continent.
The company first revealed intentions to shift some of its production to Europe in February, in a move aimed at meeting the evolving needs of its clients in the market.
In a statement, HMD Global explained the made in Europe Nokia XR21 was built with software security and privacy by design, noting the device underwent rigorous testing in Europe as some enterprise customers requested additional security measures.
The Nokia XR21 was first unveiled in May and the Europe edition will be available in black in numerous markets in the continent for €649.
HMD Global added it has also made 30 units of a limited edition variant of the device in a frosted platinum colour available for €699.
The company did not provide further details on its European manufacturing plants, but an image of the newly launched smartphone showed it was produced in Hungary.
“We are dedicated to investing in security, technology and manufacturing processes that make our devices more secure and longer lasting,” Jean-Francois Baril, CEO of HMD Global said.
“Our future plans include further investment into software security, with the intention to offer customised software and security features directly to customers.”
Nokia last week also extended its ruggedised 5G handset line-up for industrial environments.
