Telangana loses Corning Inc., a key Apple supplier and a 1000 cr investment to Tamilnadu

Hyderabad: The change in leadership in Telangana brought news that Corning Inc., a crucial Apple supplier, has opted for Tamil Nadu over Telangana to establish its Rs 1,000 crore facility. This collaboration with domestic electronics manufacturer Optiemus Infracom marks a shift from the prior announcement by the then K. Chandrashekar Rao-led state government in September, declaring Telangana as Corning Inc.'s chosen location for its Gorilla Glass manufacturing facility.

The proposed establishment in Telangana, per a statement from the former state IT and Industries Minister, K.T. Rama Rao's office, aimed to create employment opportunities for more than 800 individuals. KTR in September, had discussions with Corning Inc.'s, Senior Vice President John Bayne, Global Operations Executive, Ravi Kumar, and Director of Government Affairs, Sarah Cartmell, in New York.

Highlighting Hyderabad's appeal to electronics manufacturing companies, Rama Rao had emphasized the significant investments made by Foxconn and the potential of Corning's investment to spearhead smartphone manufacturing in Telangana and India.

Reportedly, Corning Inc. is now eyeing a Rs 1,000 crore manufacturing facility at Pillaipakkam near Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, intending to hire 300 employees. The decision to choose Tamil Nadu over Telangana is attributed to its proximity to other key Apple suppliers like Foxconn and Pegatron.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be formalized at the Global Investor Meet (GIM) scheduled for January. Additionally, the collaboration between Optiemus Infracom Limited and Corning aims to produce 30 million high-quality finished cover glass parts, employing more than 500 individuals initially under their joint venture, Bharat Innovation Glass (BIG) Technologies. These cover glass parts play a crucial role in electronic devices.