Corning to Invest in Additional Manufacturing in Hefei

Corning to Invest in Additional Manufacturing in Hefei

Corning to Invest in Additional Manufacturing in Hefei

Corning to Invest in Manufacturing in Hefei

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Environmental Technologies
Corning to Invest in Additional Manufacturing in Hefei
Corning to Invest in Additional Manufacturing in Hefei
CORNING, N.Y. | Corning Incorporated | May 19, 2017
Increased capacity will serve Asia Pacific market with initial production focused on gasoline particulate filters

CORNING, N.Y. — Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) announced today that, with the support of the Hefei government, it will invest in a new production facility for its Environmental Technologies division in the Hefei Xinzhan Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in the Anhui Province, China.

The facility will produce substrates and particulate filters for mobile emissions control, with initial production focused on its gasoline particulate filter (GPF) product line, Corning® DuraTrap® GC filters. Flexible and scalable, the new facility has potential to meet future market demand for emissions control beyond GPF. Groundbreaking will be in July this year with construction completed and process equipment installed in 2018. 

“Investing in Hefei will help us meet growing demand for gasoline particulate filters in China and better serve our customers throughout the region,” Hal Nelson, vice president and general manager, Corning Environmental Technologies, said at a special signing ceremony in Hefei.

GPFs are critical components in helping local Chinese and global automakers meet the recently finalized China 6 light-duty vehicle emission standards, which are scheduled to be implemented in July 2020.

These standards establish more stringent emissions limits and address particulates released by all gasoline engine vehicles, including increasingly popular gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines, which enable better fuel economy without sacrificing engine performance. Gasoline engines overall produce a high number of fine particulates, such as PM2.5, that impact air quality and have been linked to negative health effects.

Corning is advancing clean-gasoline design with its range of DuraTrap® GC filters. These filters feature a new, cordierite-based material composition with an innovative engineered ceramic microstructure designed to trap fine particulates, while maintaining engine performance with low engine back pressure.

The new facility will be Corning’s second Environmental Technologies production facility in China. Corning also operates a facility in Shanghai, Corning (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (CSCL), which is logistically well-connected to Hefei. CSCL has been at the forefront of meeting the Chinese market’s demand for light-duty substrates and filters since operations began in 2001. The facility has evolved to keep pace with the growing needs of the Chinese market and is currently undergoing an expansion as part of the first phase of investment in China for DuraTrap® GC filter production. That expansion is on track for completion in early 2018. 

“Corning has been committed to the Chinese industry since we first entered the China market in the early 1980s,” said Li Fang, president and general manager of Corning Greater China. “This investment is the latest milestone in Corning’s longstanding support of China’s environmental objectives and its automotive industry.”

Corning is a leading supplier of advanced cellular ceramic substrates and particulate filters for the world's major manufacturers of gasoline and diesel vehicles. The company invented an economical, high-performance, cellular ceramic substrate in the early 1970s that is now the standard for catalytic converters worldwide. In 1978, Corning developed the cellular ceramic particulate filter to remove soot from diesel emissions. Corning continues to leverage its expertise in material science and manufacturing to develop market-leading emissions control solutions that help our customers meet new emission standards and enable cleaner air worldwide. 

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which are based on current expectations and assumptions about Corning’s financial results and business operations, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include: the effect of global political, economic and business conditions; conditions in the financial and credit markets; currency fluctuations; tax rates; product demand and industry capacity; competition; reliance on a concentrated customer base; manufacturing efficiencies; cost reductions; availability of critical components and materials; new product commercialization; pricing fluctuations and changes in the mix of sales between premium and non-premium products; new plant start-up or restructuring costs; possible disruption in commercial activities due to terrorist activity, armed conflict, political or financial instability, natural disasters, adverse weather conditions, or major health concerns; adequacy of insurance; equity company activities; acquisition and divestiture activities; the level of excess or obsolete inventory; the rate of technology change; the ability to enforce patents; product and components performance issues; retention of key personnel; stock price fluctuations; and adverse litigation or regulatory developments. These and other risk factors are detailed in Corning’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the day that they are made, and Corning undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events.

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About Corning Incorporated

Corning (www.corning.com) is one of the world’s leading innovators in materials science. For more than 160 years, Corning has applied its unparalleled expertise in specialty glass, ceramics, and optical physics to develop products that have created new industries and transformed people’s lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in R&D, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and close collaboration with customers to solve tough technology challenges. Corning’s businesses and markets are constantly evolving. Today, Corning’s products enable diverse industries such as consumer electronics, telecommunications, transportation, and life sciences. They include damage-resistant cover glass for smartphones and tablets; precision glass for advanced displays; optical fiber, wireless technologies, and connectivity solutions for high-speed communications networks; trusted products that accelerate drug discovery and manufacturing; and emissions-control products for cars, trucks, and off-road vehicles.