By Beverly Bartlett, Building Kentucky
The Corning plant in Harrodsburg, Kentucky is famous for developing the glass fronts of every generation of iPhone.
Now, Apple is awarding Corning Inc. $45 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to expand manufacturing capacity and fuel continued research and development. All told, Corning has received $450 million from that fund over the past four years – supporting more than 1,000 jobs from Corning.
The iPhone 12 lineup included “Ceramic Shield” glass – an innovation that means higher optical clarity and was funded in part by Apple’s investment in Corning.
Apple’s news release noted that Corning’s well-established training and education programs were part of what ensured they had the specialized workforce necessary to make advancements like Ceramic Shield glass.
“It means a lot to me — personally and professionally — to be part of a company that invests as much in its employees and its community as it does the latest innovations,” said Jason Alexander, a mechanical maintenance associate who has worked at the Harrodsburg plant for more than 20 years.
