I believe your perspective is on the money that the great production issue is the red herring of the week, as others have been pushed/debated/set aside.
FWIW I have employed contracted labor on projects. I have provided work space, equipment, computers, phones, input materials/components, etc. I have paid the contracted labor company to provide their skilled employees to work on my projects at my facilities and they do their own hiring and Human Resources and payroll/benefits, etc. They were paid according to contract, some by labor hours, some by milestones completed.
My company owned the facilities, labs, production equipment and the products produced. Period!