Corning-Optiemus Glass Factory to Open in December

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) US glass technology major Corning's joint venture project with Optiemus Infracom -- Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies -- is likely to begin operations in December this year, a company official said on Wednesday.

Bharat Innovative Glass Technologies (BIG Tech) will be India's first facility to produce high-quality, finished cover-glass parts for mobile consumer electronics, helping meet growing manufacturer demand in India.

"We are trying to get it started in December this year," the official said in response to a question on the status of the BIG Tech facility.

The cover-glass is fixed on top of the mobile display by the manufacturers to provide it a protection layer before shipping devices into the market.

Corning's gorilla glass cover material has been designed into more than eight billion devices by more than 45 major brands, including Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, Oppo, Google Pixel, Huawei, Motorola, etc.

Apple has also partnered with Corning to make all cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch in Corning's manufacturing facility in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, with an investment of USD 2.5 billion.

As per the announcement, 100 per cent of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the US for the first time.