Meta Platforms and Corning have announced a multiyear agreement worth up to $6 billion to supply fiber-optic cable and related connectivity products for Meta’s U.S. data center buildout, including infrastructure tied to Meta’s AI plans.
Corning said it will supply Meta with its newest optical fiber, cable, and connectivity solutions, and it plans to expand manufacturing capacity across its North Carolina operations, including a major expansion at its optical cable facility in Hickory, North Carolina, where Meta will be the anchor customer.
Deal aims at U.S. data center growth
Corning said the agreement is designed to help accelerate construction of what it described as “the most advanced data centers” in the United States to support Meta’s apps, technologies, and AI ambitions.
Meta said fiber optic cables are a core part of the connectivity that helps its data centers operate, enabling fast transfers of information across its infrastructure.
What Corning will supply Meta
Corning said it will provide optical fiber, cable, and connectivity products “designed to meet the density and scale demands of advanced AI data centers.”
The Wall Street Journal described the arrangement as a multiyear agreement valued at up to $6 billion for fiber-optic cable supporting the expansion of Meta’s U.S. data-center infrastructure for AI systems.
North Carolina expansion and jobs impact
Corning said the agreement supports an expansion of manufacturing capabilities across its North Carolina operations, including a significant capacity expansion at its Hickory optical cable manufacturing facility.
Corning also said the agreement supports projected employment growth in North Carolina of 15% to 20% and is intended to help sustain a skilled workforce of more than 5,000 employees in the state, including teams working at what it called two of the world’s largest optical fiber and cable manufacturing facilities.
Meta said the agreement enables Corning to expand its manufacturing operations in North Carolina and add new jobs in the state, and it said the company expects a significant capacity expansion at the Trivium Corporate Center in Catawba County, North Carolina.
Statements from Meta and Corning
In Corning’s announcement, Corning CEO Wendell P. Weeks said the partnership reflects Corning’s commitment to develop, innovate, and manufacture critical technologies for next-generation data centers in the U.S., and that the investment will expand Corning’s manufacturing footprint in North Carolina.
In the same release, Meta Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan said building advanced U.S. data centers requires “world-class partners and American manufacturing,” and he said Meta is partnering with Corning for “high-performance fiber optic cables” needed for Meta’s AI infrastructure.
Meta’s post repeated Kaplan’s remarks and said Meta’s data centers are part of the infrastructure supporting its goal of “personalized superintelligence.”
How long the deal runs, and market reaction
Corning’s release described the agreement as multiyear and valued at up to $6 billion, but it did not specify an end date.
CNBC reported that Meta committed to pay Corning up to $6 billion through 2030 for fiber-optic cable for AI data centers, citing an interview with Corning CEO Wendell Weeks at Corning’s cable manufacturing facility in Hickory, North Carolina.
Reuters reported Meta would pay Corning up to $6 billion over the next several years in a deal connected to fiber-optic cables, and it also reported Corning shares rose more than 7% in premarket trading while Meta shares edged up.
Meta’s existing U.S. data center footprint
Meta said it has 26 data centers that are under construction or operational in the United States.
Meta also said its data center construction has supported 30,000 skilled trade jobs during construction and that it supports 5,000 operational jobs, listing roles such as electricians, HVAC specialists, server and network technicians, safety and security experts, and engineers.
