Tamil Nadu CM Inaugurates Corning’s Cover Glass Facility
The pre-cover glass manufacturing facility in Kanchipuram district was officially inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. This facility was established through a collaboration between Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies Private Limited, a joint venture between US-based Corning International Corporation and Indian telecom giant Optiemus Infracom.
The establishment, dedicated to the production of Corning's specialized Gorilla glass covers, has been established with a capital investment of Rs.1,003 crore.
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Initially, it is projected to generate 840 employment opportunities, with an additional 500 positions anticipated to be filled by the conclusion of the following year.
Corning and Optiemus Infracom entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government in January 2024 to set up a cover glass facility.
The inauguration of the facility took place in June of the preceding year. Stalin also observed that over the course of the previous four years, Tamil Nadu has experienced significant advancement in the field of electronics, achieving a nine-fold increase in value to $14.6 billion.
“India is one of the fastest growing smartphone markets in the world, and the facility will allow us to bring the durability, reliability and innovation synonymous with Gorilla Glass to even more consumers in this country,” Andrew Beck, Vice President and General Manager Gorilla Glass, Corning, says.
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The newly established facility, formed through a partnership between Corning and publicly traded mobile and IT hardware company Optiemus Infracom, will be known as Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies (BIG Tech).
This marks the inauguration of India's inaugural production plant exclusively focused on creating completed glass cover components for portable consumer electronics, as highlighted in the corporation's official announcement.
Operations are slated to begin in the latter part of 2025, with an initial output target of 30 million units and a workforce of 500 personnel, with provisions for expansion in response to market trends.
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Situated in the SIPCOT Pillaipakkam industrial park in Sriperumbudur, the facility is strategically positioned to meet the rising need for smartphone components in India amid the country's expanding exports.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin emphasized the strategic relevance of this venture by asserting, "The inaugural ceremony for Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies signifies a substantial infusion into our state's industrial capacities, further solidifying Tamil Nadu's standing as a center for innovation and technological progress”.