Apple and Corning are expanding their collaboration. In the future, the entire cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch will be produced in the USA—more specifically, at Corning's plant in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Apple is investing $2.5 billion in this. This measure is part of a larger plan to inject a total of $600 billion into the US economy over the next four years.
Apple has relied on close partnerships with US manufacturers for years. Corning is one of its longest-standing partners. The glass for the first iPhone was manufactured in Harrodsburg as early as 2007. This site is now undergoing a massive expansion. The investment is not only a commitment to US manufacturing but also a strategic step to strengthen supply chains and technical development in the country.
Apple invests $2.5 billion in Corning
Apple is increasing its investment in smartphone glass production and is focusing on its plant in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Corning is currently building the world's largest and most modern smartphone glass production line there. The plant will produce exclusively for Apple. This will increase the number of employees in manufacturing and development at Corning in Kentucky by 50 percent. Apple is providing a total of $2.5 billion for this project. The funds come from the Advanced Manufacturing Fund, which Apple has used to invest specifically in US industrial partners since 2017. Nearly $500 million has already been donated to Corning in the past – now, the largest single step to date follows.
New Innovation Center in Harrodsburg
In addition to manufacturing, investments are also being made in research. A new Apple Corning Innovation Center is being built at the Harrodsburg site. It will play a central role in the development of new materials and manufacturing platforms. The goal is to develop innovative glass solutions for future generations of Apple products. This includes, for example, the further development of Ceramic Shield – the most robust smartphone glass currently used by Apple. The collaboration between Apple and Corning is closely integrated from a technical perspective. This is also evident in the fact that the glass for iPhones and Apple Watches is not only produced but also jointly designed and further developed. The new center is therefore an important building block for becoming more technologically independent and defining standards ourselves.
Part of Apple's larger investment strategy
The investment in Corning is part of a much larger plan. Apple plans to invest a total of $600 billion in the US economy by 2028. As part of this plan, the American Manufacturing Program (AMP) was recently announced. It aims to bring the production of key Apple components back to the US and support American partner companies in doing so. One example is GlobalWafers, another AMP company. Corning supplies silicon raw materials to GlobalWafers, which then produces advanced bare wafers in the US. These are then used in Apple's silicon chips. This also strengthens the supply chain within the US and reduces dependence on international suppliers.
Focus on jobs and technology development
Apple currently works with thousands of suppliers in all 50 states. In total, the company supports more than 450,000 supply chain jobs in the US. In addition, Apple plans to create 20,000 new jobs over the next four years. The focus is on research and development, silicon technology, software, and artificial intelligence. The planned investments are intended not only to strengthen production and supply chains but also to specifically drive technological advancement in the US. Apple relies on highly specialized partners like Corning to develop key components in-house – from display glass to processor technology.
Result: iPhone glass from Kentucky for the whole world
By fully relocating glass production to Kentucky, every new iPhone and Apple Watch will be equipped with glass manufactured in the USA. Apple and Corning are not only creating new jobs but also a more locally rooted technology ecosystem. At the same time, the pace of innovation remains high, as research and manufacturing are brought closer together. With this step, Apple is demonstrating how manufacturing and high-tech development can be successfully located in the USA – economically viable, technically at the highest level, and future-oriented. The partnership with Corning is an example of how technology companies are investing strategically to remain globally competitive while strengthening local industries. (Image: Apple)
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