Corning Incorporated

Two 'Corning Incorporated' stories March 2012 - June 2012

Corning announces slim, flexible ‘Willow Glass’ [Video]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uXQEpVRtGtw]

Corning Inc., the manufacturer behind Gorilla Glass, Gorilla Glass 2, and other display products, just announced a new ultra-slim, flexible glass called “Willow Glass“.

The Corning, N.Y.-based Company introduced its technology at the Society for Information Display’s Display Week tradeshow in Boston this morning. The main highlight is its ability to “wrap” around a device or structure. Willow Glass is specifically formulated to couple with touch sensors, and Corning is exploring further use in “lighting and flexible solar cells.” The company’s fusion process helps to make the product just 100 microns thick, which is akin to a sheet of printer paper. Willow Glass samples are shipping to customers now, but The Verge expects full production to begin later this year.

Apple released a report in March on U.S. jobs that revealed Corning employees in Kentucky and New York create “the majority of the glass for iPhone.”

Gorilla Glass 2 video:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT8xI4PEU8c]

Corning’s Gorilla Glass 2 is a much stronger, resilient version of the Gorilla Glass featured on Apple’s current iPhones. It’s possible that the next-generation iPhone will sport this new glass, so take a look at the video above.

The full press release is below.

Apple acknowledges use of Corning Gorilla Glass on iPhone, means Gorilla Glass 2 likely for iPhone 5

Apple’s relationship with Corning has always remained shrouded in mystery. The relationship started famously when Steve Jobs visited Corning Headquarters in 2006 and told CEO Wendell Weeks not to be afraid to make the stuff. Corning however never made it into Apple marketing material after that and even isn’t included in Apple’s supplier lists (PDF).

That and Apple’s reliance on Asian parts materials makers had led some to believe that Apple had gone to Asian glass manufacturers for their iPhone production.

In the New York Times’ iEconomy series, Corning is said to have shifted its glass manufacturing to China.

“Our customers are in Taiwan, Korea, Japan and China,” said James B. Flaws, Corning’s vice chairman and chief financial officer. “We could make the glass here, and then ship it by boat, but that takes 35 days. Or, we could ship it by air, but that’s 10 times as expensive. So we build our glass factories next door to assembly factories, and those are overseas.”

However, today, Apple released its US Jobs report which included the following info:

Corning employees in Kentucky and New York who create the majority of the glass for iPhone,..

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