Corning Glass Works
| File:Corning Incorporated logo.svg Logo of Corning Incorporated | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Technology, Glass manufacturing, Ceramics, Optical materials |
| Predecessor | Bay State Glass Co., Corning Glass Works |
| Founded | January 1, 1851 in Somerville, Massachusetts, United States |
| Founder | Amory Houghton |
| Headquarters | Corning, New York , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Wendell P. Weeks (Chairman, President, and CEO) |
| Products | Glass, Ceramics, Optical fiber, Gorilla Glass, Pyrex (formerly), CorningWare (formerly) |
| Revenue | $14.08 billion (2021) |
Number of employees | 61,200 (2021) |
| Website | www |
Corning Incorporated is a global American technology firm that specializes in producing glass, ceramics, and cutting-edge optical materials for industrial and scientific uses. Established in 1851 by Amory Houghton under the name Bay State Glass Co., the company was known as Corning Glass Works until it rebranded in 1989. In 1998, Corning divested its consumer goods segment, including brands such as CorningWare and Pyrex, by selling this division to Borden.
By 2014, Corning's operations were organized into five primary sectors: display technologies, environmental technologies, life sciences, optical communications, and specialty materials. The company also engages in joint ventures like Dow Corning and Pittsburgh Corning. In 1997, it separated its medical testing businesses, spinning off Quest Diagnostics and Covance (now Fortrea). Since 2007, Corning has been a crucial supplier to Apple Inc., collaborating on the development of Gorilla Glass—a durable glass widely implemented in smartphones—solidifying its status as a top global glass manufacturer. The company has earned the National Medal of Technology and Innovation on four occasions for its advancements in products and processes.
Headquartered in Corning, New York, the firm established one of the earliest industrial research laboratories there in 1908 and continues to expand its research and development capabilities alongside its production of catalytic converters and diesel engine filters. Dedicated to regional growth, Corning maintains its main offices in upstate New York.
History
Corning Glass Works was originally founded in 1851 by Amory Houghton in Somerville, Massachusetts under the name Bay State Glass Co. It subsequently moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, operating as Brooklyn Flint Glass Works before relocating to Corning, New York, in 1868 under leadership of Amory Houghton Jr.
In 1915, the company introduced Pyrex—the first consumer cookware made from heat-resistant glass. From 1934 to 1936, Corning produced the 200-inch telescope mirror for Caltech’s Palomar Observatory using low-expansion borosilicate glass, overcoming initial manufacturing difficulties.
In 1935, Corning collaborated with Owens-Illinois to create Owens Corning, which became an independent company by 1938.
Following World War II, Corning’s strategy emphasized innovation driven by research. In 1962, it developed Chemcor—a toughened automotive windshield engineered to be thinner and safer by breaking into small granules upon impact. Although this technology was adopted in some AMC vehicles by 1970 and offered safety benefits, the absence of regulatory mandates and financial incentives caused the project’s discontinuation in 1971. Nonetheless, the production techniques from Chemcor laid the foundation for Corning’s successful LCD glass business.
In 1970, Corning scientists demonstrated low-loss optical fiber by doping silica glass initially with titanium and later with germanium oxide. This breakthrough positioned Corning as a worldwide leader in manufacturing optical fiber essential for telecommunications infrastructure.
The Z Glass initiative launched in 1977 aimed at improving television picture tubes but resulted in substantial financial setbacks; partial recovery occurred by 1978. This case is frequently analyzed at Harvard Business School as an example of innovation management challenges.
In 1998, Corning divested its kitchenware business as Corelle Brands to concentrate exclusively on industrial markets.
During the late 1990s dot-com era, Corning expanded its fiber optics operations by acquiring Oak Industries for $1.8 billion and invested heavily in photonics technology to become a dominant fiber-optic systems provider. The bursting of the dot-com bubble caused significant financial strain and sharp declines in stock value. However, by 2007, Corning had recorded five consecutive years of improved financial performance.
Technologies
Corning achieved a significant milestone when Apple chose it to create a robust display for the inaugural iPhone, which led to the widespread implementation of its Gorilla Glass by various device manufacturers. In 2011, Corning enhanced its production capacity by opening a Gen 10 facility adjacent to the Sharp Corporation complex in Sakai, Osaka, Japan, where it manufactures LCD glass substrates free from heavy metals. The company remains a top provider of glass components for liquid crystal display technology.
The company continues to produce optical fiber and cabling at its plants located in Wilmington and Concord, catering to the telecommunications sector. Additionally, Corning fabricates ceramic emission control components for gasoline-powered vehicles and is increasing investments in ceramic solutions for diesel engines in response to stricter global emissions regulations.
In 2007, Corning introduced ClearCurve optical fiber, which utilizes nanostructure technology to enable flexible FTTX deployment.
Originating from the 1960s Chemcor initiative, Gorilla Glass is a chemically strengthened alkali-aluminosilicate thin glass sheet designed to offer enhanced scratch resistance and durability for touchscreen devices. It was first utilized on the original iPhone released in 2007.
On October 25, 2011, Corning unveiled Lotus Glass, an environmentally friendly, high-performance glass tailored for OLED and LCD display applications.
The company dedicates approximately 10% of its revenue to research and development activities, including a $300 million investment to expand its Sullivan Park research center near its headquarters in Corning, New York.
Corning produces ultra-pure fused silica used in microlithography systems as well as low-expansion glass employed in reflective mirrors, windows for the U.S. Space Shuttle, and artistic glass creations. Despite a decline in traditional molten glass manufacturing plants, Corning maintains a diverse range of production capabilities.
Its research portfolio also encompasses green laser technologies, mercury reduction methods, microreactors, photovoltaic devices, and silicon-on-glass innovations. The Life Sciences division provides products that support stem cell cultivation and other life science research endeavors.
In September 2019, Apple announced an additional $250 million investment in Corning aimed at advancing glass technology for iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad devices, building upon a previous $200 million investment made in 2017.
In November 2024, the European Commission initiated an antitrust inquiry into Corning concerning exclusive supply contracts with mobile phone manufacturers and raw glass processors that could potentially limit competition within the specialty glass market.
Other activities
With a global workforce of around 61,200 employees, Corning reported sales totaling $14.08 billion in 2021. The company has consistently appeared on Fortune’s list of the 500 largest corporations, achieving the rank of No. 297 in 2015.
Although publicly traded for many years, James R. Houghton—descended from the founder’s lineage—served as chairman from 2001 until 2007. Since then, family ownership has diminished to roughly 2%. Wendell Weeks, who joined Corning in 1983, held the roles of chairman, CEO, and president as of March 2013.
Throughout its more than 160-year history, Corning has pioneered rapid and cost-efficient glass manufacturing techniques, including producing glass used in Thomas Edison’s incandescent light bulbs. After Edison General Electric merged with Thomson-Houston Electric Company in 1892 to form General Electric, Corning supplied glass products to GE. The company has also innovated glass panels for television tubes and developed Vycor—a high-temperature resistant glass. Its product range includes well-known brands such as Pyrex, CorningWare, Visions cookware, and Corelle dinnerware. Furthermore, Corning manufactured windows for U.S. crewed space missions and supplied the primary mirror blank for the Hubble Space Telescope.
In 1982, Corning introduced Chameleon® and Serengeti® sunglasses featuring proprietary photochromic lenses and Spectral Control® technology.
In July 2008, after Steuben Glass Works experienced losses exceeding $30 million over five years, Corning sold the division to Schottenstein Stores Corporation.
Corning broadened its telecommunications offerings through acquisitions: MobileAccess Networks in 2011 (specializing in distributed antenna systems for large venues), SpiderCloud Wireless in 2017; and nearly all assets of 3M’s Communication Markets Division in 2017 for about $900 million. These strategic purchases expanded Corning’s global footprint and strengthened its position within optical communications infrastructure markets.
Board of directors
- Donald W. Blair: former executive vice president and chief financial officer at NIKE, Inc.
- Leslie A. Brun: chairman and chief executive officer of Sarr Group
- Richard T. Clark: former chairman, president, and CEO of Merck & Co., Inc.
- Pamela J. Craig: former chief financial officer at Accenture plc
- Robert F. Cummings, Jr.: former vice chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Roger W. Ferguson Jr.: Distinguished Fellow specializing in International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations
- Thomas D. French: senior partner emeritus at McKinsey & Company
- Deborah A. Henretta: former global e-business group president at Procter & Gamble
- Daniel P. Huttenlocher: dean of MIT
- Kurt M. Landgraf: former president and CEO of Educational Testing Service
- Kevin Martin: vice president for US public policy at Meta Platforms, Inc.
- Deborah D. Rieman: former executive chairman of MetaMarkets Group
- Hansel E. Tookes II: retired chairman and CEO of Raytheon Aircraft Company
- Wendell P. Weeks: chairman, president, and CEO of Corning Incorporated
- Mark S. Wrighton: chemistry professor and chancellor emeritus at Washington University in St. Louis
See also
- Corelle Brands LLC, previously a Corning Consumer Products division sold to Borden in 1998; later merged with Instant Brands in 2019
- Corning Museum of Glass
- Corning, NY
- Houghton family
- Macor, a machinable glass-ceramic material developed by Corning
- Overflow downdraw method, a manufacturing process employed by Corning for producing flat panel displays
Further reading
External links
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- Corning Inc.
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