Corning, a leading fibre-optic equipment manufacturer, has announced plans to expand its manufacturing operations in North Carolina in a partnership with Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The agreement entails Corning supplying its cutting-edge fibre optic technology to Meta’s data centres.
Under the deal, Meta has committed to paying Corning $6 billion by 2030. In order to meet the increased demand resulting from this partnership, Corning will be expanding its manufacturing facility in Hickory, North Carolina, as well as establishing additional sites within the state.
Joel Kaplan, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, praised Corning for its capability to provide “high-performance fiber optic cables to our AI infrastructure needs.” This move comes in response to the growing demand for data centres across the tech industry, with major players like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft making significant investments in upgrading and constructing new facilities.
In the US, Meta has disclosed plans to invest between $115 billion and $135 billion in new data centres by 2026. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that two of the largest projects will be located in New Albany, Ohio, and Holly Ridge, Louisiana.
Corning, which weathered the dot-com era and emerged as a key player in the fibre-optic supplies industry, has experienced a resurgence in recent years. The company saw a 13% increase in sales and a 103% rise in stock value in 2025. With a strong focus on the AI sector, Corning unveiled a range of innovative products in March 2025, including cables and hardware designed to accommodate significantly more fiber connections in data centre rack units compared to traditional connectors.
As Meta continues to expand its infrastructure through data centres and fibre optic cable systems, Corning is poised to capitalize on the sustained demand for its fibre optic solutions. The company’s resilience and forward-thinking approach position it favorably in the evolving tech landscape.
(Image source: “Fiber Optic Globe” by JaredZammit is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.)
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