Plant Opens Ahead of Schedule for Corning

Corning Inc. (Corning, NY) has accelerated plans to open its new plant near Concord, NC in order to meet growing worldwide demand for its optical fiber. The company cited particularly strong demand for LEAF, a new optical fiber for high-data-rate applications, as one of the key reasons for beginning production ahead of schedule. Corning has announced a string of LEAF contracts in recent months.

The company said initial production at the Concord plant will begin in July and that the plant will operate around the clock by August. Corning had previously planned to begin production sometime in the fourth quarter.

According to the company, production will be phased in over the course of the next 18 months. When fully operational in 2001, the company anticipates the Concord plant will boost fiber-making capacity by approximately 50%. The company currently manufactures optical fiber at its facilities in Australia, the UK, and Wilmington, NC, which it describes as the largest fiber-producing plant in the world.