US-based cover glass maker Corning is reportedly planning to set up a manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu as Apple suppliers embark on massive investments in India.
Sources told the Economic Times that Corning, the maker of the Gorilla Glass, had signed an INR10 billion (US$119.96 million) deal with the government of Tamil Nadu to set up its first plant in India in Pillaipakkam on a 25-acre plot, employing about 300 workers. Sources told the news outlet that the establishment, working alongside Optiemus Infracom based in India, could finish within a year, although no fixed timetable was established.
Bloomberg reported in September that Corning would invest in Telangana, a plan confirmed by K.T. Rama Rao, the state's technology minister. However, Mint reported in October that Corning was still discussing with states for land to set up the facility, and the facility, with an annual production capacity of 30 million pieces, was expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
According to the Economic Times, an unnamed source said that Corning picked Tamil Nadu rather than Telangana because of the established electronics ecosystem and the proximity to other Apple suppliers. Apple's supplier list for 2022 shows that seven of 14 suppliers in India have manufacturing facilities in Tamil Nadu, including Flex, Foxconn, On Semiconductor, Pegatron, and Zhen Ding Technology. A couple of days ago, Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that Tata plans to build a new plant in Tamil Nadu after acquiring Wistron's assets in Karnataka.
Still, Corning's Gorilla Glass manufacturing is not only for iPhones. According to Corning, its customers include Samsung, Sony, Google, OnePlus, Lenovo, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, and Asus for various products besides smartphones.
The Economic Times quoted Neil Shah, vice president of Counterpoint Research, who said Gorilla Glass will be used on millions of tablets, PCs, wearables, and automotive displays going forward, making Corning partake and boost India's manufacturing ecosystem.
Number of Apple suppliers in India in FY22 | |
State | Suppliers |
Tamil Nadu | 7 |
Karnataka | 3 |
Uttar Pradesh | 2 |
Andhra Pradesh | 1 |
Maharashtra | 1 |
Source: Apple, December 2023
