CHENNAI: Smartphone gorilla glass maker Corning will set up a manufacturing facility near Chennai, with a capital expenditure of Rs 1,000 crore. According to a report, the US glassmaker and one of the key suppliers of Apple is expected to open a new factory at Pillaipakkam, Sriperumbudur near Chennai and employ 300 people.
The company has reportedly finalised the talks and is expected to formally sign a MoU with the Tamil Nadu government in the global investor’s meet (GIM) in January next year. Earlier, electronics and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on X Corning will begin display glass finishing in India next year with an initial capacity of 30 million pieces.
Corning, which was earlier said to set up the facility in Telangana, has shifted to Tamil Nadu due to the electronics manufacturing ecosystem. Leading Taiwanese manufacturers Pegatron and Foxconn have manufacturing facilities near Chennai and to assemble the latest iPhone 15 model. Tata group currently manufactures iPhone mobile enclosure, which is the metal framework of phones at Hosur in Tamil Nadu. It also plans to open a mega iPhone assembly facility in Hosur.
Corning, the major supplier of iPhone, is shifting to India and more supplier networks are also expected to mature in the country as the US tech company plans to shift a major chunk of manufacturing to India from China.