Apple has awarded US$45 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to Corning, the firm that supplies precision glass for iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad, it announced Monday. The money will be used to expand the company’s U.S. manufacturing capacity as well as research and development.
Apple and Corning Relationship Helped Create Ceramic Shield
The latest award adds to the US$450 million Corning has already received from Apple’s $5 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund. The investment from Apple helps support 1,000 jobs across Corning operating in Kentucky and other U.S. facilities, as well as the R&D which led to the creation of Ceramic Shield. Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer commented:
Apple and Corning have a long history of working together to accomplish the impossible. From the very first iPhone glass, to the revolutionary Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 12 lineup, our collaboration has changed the landscape of smartphone cover design and durability. Ceramic Shield is a prime example of the technologies that are possible when deep innovation meets the power of American manufacturing. We’re so proud to work alongside Corning, whose 170-year-old legacy is a testament to the ingenuity of the US workforce.
Wendell P. Weeks, Corning’s chairman and CEO added:
We are incredibly proud of our collaboration with Apple on Ceramic Shield, made possible in part through the Advanced Manufacturing Fund and the hard work and dedication of hundreds of individuals at Corning and Apple. We thank Apple for our longstanding product-development partnership and for their continued commitment to supporting the American workforce. The deep investment they’ve provided for new manufacturing technology in our Harrodsburg, Kentucky, facility is not only fueling life-changing innovation, it’s also helping us sustain vital communities where we live and work – a fundamental objective at both of our companies. Together, we’re developing a world-class workforce, engaging them in new technologies, and creating opportunities for learning and training.
Ongoing Advanced Manufacturing Fund Investments
Monday’s announcement was the latest in a series of significant ones related to Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund. Last week, it announced a US$410 million investment into optical technology manufacturer II-VI.