Corning Incorporated partners with Meta Platforms

Corning Incorporated and Meta Platforms, Inc. entered a multiyear agreement valued at up to $6 billion to accelerate deployment of data center infrastructure in the U.S. and to support Meta’s advanced applications, technologies, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives.

Corning planned to expand manufacturing capacity across its North Carolina operations and projected employment growth in the state of 15 to 20 percent while sustaining a workforce of more than 5,000. Meta expanded its commitment to build data centers in the U.S. and to source advanced technology made domestically.

The agreement specified Corning would supply its latest optical fiber, cable, and connectivity products designed to meet the density and scale demands of advanced AI data centers. The document stated that fiber optic cabling was a cornerstone component enabling high-speed, near real-time connectivity, and powering applications from the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to global connectivity services used by billions.

The companies described a new optical cable manufacturing facility in Hickory, North Carolina, alongside expanded production capacity across Corning’s North Carolina operations, with Meta identified as the foundational anchor customer for increased output at the Hickory plant.

“This long-term partnership with Meta reflects Corning’s commitment to develop, innovate, and manufacture the critical technologies that power next-generation data centers here in the U.S.,” said Wendell P. Weeks, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Corning Incorporated. “Building the most advanced data centers in the U.S. requires world-class partners and American manufacturing,” said Joel Kaplan, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Meta.

The organizations described plans to supply multiyear fiber and connectivity products, expand manufacturing capacity in North Carolina, and support employment growth through the term of the agreement.