Gorilla glass maker Corning breaks ground in Chennai

CHENNAI: US-based smartphone glass maker Corning Incorporated and domestic telecommunications player Optiemus Infracom broke ground at the Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies (BIG Tech) facility in Chennai on Tuesday. The facility will produce finished cover glass parts for mobile consumer electronics. This is the first such facility in the country, according to a release from the company.
The facility is located at the SIPCOT Pillaipakkam industrial park in Kanchipuram district. It will cater to the growing demand in India.
Corning is the supplier to dozens of smartphone brands like Apple and Samsung.
The company is investing Rs 1,000 crore in the Chennai facility. The facility is expected to manufacture 30 million units annually and will have a potential to employee 300 people.
The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu govt in January.
“It is a proud moment for Tamil Nadu as we welcome Corning Incorporated and Optiemus Infracom to build a world-class facility here,” Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin was quoted as saying.
“Today’s ground-breaking for Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies (BIG Tech) not only marks a significant investment in our state’s industrial capabilities, but also reinforces Tamil Nadu’s position as a hub for innovation and technological advancement,” the CM said.
“By actively supporting our customers as they advance their supply chains, we’re giving more consumers in the region an opportunity to experience the renowned durability of Gorilla Glass.” said David Velasquez, vice- president of Corning.
Establishing India’s first cover-glass finishing operation for mobile consumer electronics is a major milestone in our journey to meet the growing demand for high-quality, advanced cover glass. said Ashok Gupta, executive chairman of Optiemus.