Shipments of MacBook Airs could be slowed a bit due to a factory closure in eastern China. That in itself isn’t all that newsworthy. It’s the reason for the closure: The factory is really, really smelly.

Local residents complained to local authorities of a “strange odor” coming from Catcher Technology’s factory, so it was partially closed, Wall Street Journal reports.

The factory is a supplier for the aluminum casing of Apple’s MacBook Air, as well as casings for iPods and iPod shuffles, and some HTC smartphones. Catcher and the more popularly known Foxconn factory are two of the world’s largest producers of metal casings for electronics.

“Shipments to our customers will inevitably be affected,” Catcher President Allen Horng said of the malodorous situation.

The plant won’t be able to resume normal operation until the government has inspected the facilities, so the closure could continue through October or November. The factory closure is mostly bad news for Catcher, but could delay shipments of MacBook Airs and HTC devices.

Catcher customers were advised to “make adjustments to their (casings) procurement.” Hopefully they responded with, “That stinks.”

via The Giz