Apple, Corning to manufacture iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass in Kentucky

CUPERTINO, Calif. – Apple and Corning have announced a major expansion of their partnership to make precision glass for Apple products in Kentucky.

According to a release Wednesday by Apple, it is making a $2.5 billion commitment to produce all of the cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch products in Corning’s Harrodsburg, Kentucky, manufacturing facility.

For the first time, 100% of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the United States, the release says.

The release further states Corning will dedicate this entire facility to manufacturing for Apple, which will help increase Corning’s manufacturing and engineering workforce in Kentucky by 50%.

The two companies will also open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center at the Harrodsburg plant.

According to Apple, the Innovation Center will place a key role in developing and engineering advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing platforms for Apple’s future generations of products.

The projects are part of Apple’s commitment to spend and invest more than $600 billion in the U.S. economy over the next four years, the release says. The company says this includes its newly announced American Manufacturing Program, which will invest across the country and incentivize global companies to onshore production and manufacture even more of Apple’s critical components within the United States.

News 40 will provide additional updates as they develop.