Through an official press release, Apple has today announced the name of the first advanced manufacturer who will benefit from an investment from its $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund. And it isn’t surprising to know that the iPhone maker has singled out a widely-known tech-driven venture — Corning, the makers of Gorilla Glass, to lead a $200 million investment to promote job creation in the United States.
This development comes about a week after Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that they were setting up a massive investment fund. It has been formed not only to support manufacturing personnel in the U.S but also to satisfy the bloated ego of the country’s President Donald Trump as well. The latter is hell-bent on making America an active industrial breathing ground, it once was. This initiative has been in the works even before the U.S elections.
The Cupertino giant’s collaborated with Corning for the development of the very first iPhone back in 2007. The relation that the two organizations forged ten years ago are still continuing, as every customer that buys an iPhone or iPad anywhere in the world, touches glass that was developed in America. Commenting on the extension of this partnership, Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer said,
Corning is a great example of a supplier that has continued to innovate and they are one of Apple’s long-standing suppliers. We’re extremely proud of our collaboration over the years and we are investing further with Corning who has such a rich legacy of innovative manufacturing practices.
Apple, in the press release, further notes that the investment will help “support Corning’s R&D, capital equipment needs, and state-of-the-art glass processing.” The Gorilla Glass-maker has been making touchscreens for the Cupertino giant until date, from its 65-year-old Harrodsburg facility. A chunk of this capital will also be utilized to further expand its operations and sign up more advanced manufacturing personnel to work with them.
Wendell P. Weeks, Corning’s chairman, CEO and president (wow, that’s a lot of executive roles) also comments on the investment:
Corning’s longstanding relationship with Apple has not only led to significant glass innovations that have enabled new capabilities for consumers, it has also helped create nearly 1,000 American jobs and allowed us to continue growing and expanding in the US. This investment will ensure our plant in Harrodsburg remains a global center of excellence for glass technology.
Over the past couple weeks, the iPhone maker has placed immense focus on its contribution towards the economic development of the United States. It recently boasted that their operations are responsible for over 2 million jobs in the country, which includes the 80,00 people it employs, 450,000 jobs for its suppliers and manufacturing giants, and finally the 1,530,000 iOS app developers. The numbers may seem absurd, but Apple is currently also pushing its primary manufacturer — Foxconn, to jump ship and step foot into the States.
