Apple is committing $2.5 million to produce all of the cover glass for its smartphones and watches at the Corning facility in Harrodsburg. The decision means that for the first time, 100% of the glass on Apple products sold worldwide will be made in the U.S.
Gov. Andy Beshear said on Thursday that the exact number of jobs isn't known yet, but cited a news release from Apple.
"The release said it would add 50% to the manufacturing and engineering jobs," Beshear said. "They currently have over 400 employees. We don't know if it's 50% of that or a smaller subset, but every job's important."
Corning made the glass for the very first iPhone 18 years ago in Mercer County and now the company is dedicating its entire manufacturing plant to Apple. The tech giant describes its advanced glass as the toughest of any smartphone and this announcement brings all of that innovation to its original home.
"Apple is an amazing partner for American manufacturers like us, and together, we've innovated and pushed the boundaries of what's possible," said Corning CEO Wendell Weeks.
The project is part of Apple's broader commitment to invest $600 billion over the next four years in an effort to bring more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the U.S.
President Donald Trump has warned of tariffs on semiconductors, which could affect iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and other popular Apple products.
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