When Apple unveiled its Vision Pro mixed-reality headset to the world’s media in June, few were aware of the significant role played by a little-known contract manufacturer in China in creating the revolutionary device.

Shenzhen-based Luxshare Precision Industry has won favour and increasing business with the iPhone maker in part by being prepared to test “crazy” ideas in its factories, according to an Apple supply chain employee.

It is the sole assembler of the Vision Pro and has been seeing it through the initial manufacturing problems of integrating its complex electronics and the setbacks of too-frequent flaws in a crucial component — its micro-OLED displays. Apple has been forced to scale back production expectations for next year, with two people close to Apple and Luxshare saying it was preparing to make fewer than 400,000 units in 2024.