October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run ScanOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
The Finance Base
The Money Desk · Blog
Re:

Corning’s 2003 Plan to Close Two Plants: Locations, Jobs and Costs

Corning announced plans in December 2003 to close specialty-materials plants in South Carolina and Massachusetts and shift production to New York. The closure dates, savings and workforce impacts were reported as plans and estimates.
From TheFinanceBase Team2 min to read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Corning announced in December 2003 that it planned to close specialty-materials plants in Charleston, South Carolina, and North Brookfield, Massachusetts, while transferring production to facilities in New York. The move was presented as a restructuring of its semiconductor-optics operations—not as a newly announced closure. The planned dates, cost savings and workforce figures were estimates reported at the time, not confirmation of what ultimately happened.

Which Corning plants were slated to close?

Corning’s announcement, reported by EE Times on December 5, 2003, identified its specialty-materials plants in Charleston, South Carolina, and North Brookfield, Massachusetts. The company planned to transfer production of high-purity fused silica and fluoride crystal components to Corning sites in Canton and Fairport, New York.

The reports described a consolidation of production within Corning’s network. They do not establish the present-day status of any of the four facilities.

Why was Corning restructuring the operations?

Corning cited significant financial and operational challenges in semiconductor optics. James Steiner, then general manager of Corning’s Specialty Materials unit, described the pressure in a statement quoted by glassonweb.com on December 8, 2003: “The dramatic cyclicality of the semiconductor equipment market requires greater flexibility and lower costs than we currently have in our structure.”

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Steiner added that although Corning believed the market was improving, it was acting to build the flexibility and cost structure it considered necessary to operate through both upswings and downturns. The rationale was therefore not simply that the market was weak at that moment; Corning framed the consolidation as a way to manage recurring volatility.

What were the expected closure dates and financial effects?

According to EE Times, North Brookfield was expected to cease production by the end of 2003, and Charleston was expected to close during the first quarter of 2004. These were planned dates in the announcement; the contemporaneous reports do not independently verify the dates on which operations actually ended.

Rank #2
Futureonics 6 Fiber Indoor/Outdoor Fiber Optic Cable, OS2 9/125 Singlemode, Corning, Black, Riser Rated, Spool, 1000 Foot
  • ✅ Premium Corning Singlemode Fiber – Built with genuine Corning OS2 9/125µm G.652.D optical fiber for reliable, long-distance data transmission. Designed for high-speed networking, telecommunications, ISP infrastructure, campus backbones, and enterprise installations.
  • 🔧 6 Strand Indoor/Outdoor Fiber Cable – Features 6 color-coded tight-buffered fibers protected by a durable black jacket for easy identification and installation. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications where a riser-rated cable is required.
  • 🏢 Riser (CMR) Rated Jacket – Engineered with a CMR riser-rated flame-retardant jacket for vertical pathway installations between floors in commercial and residential buildings. Combines flexibility with long-lasting durability.
  • 🧵 1000 Foot Continuous Spool – Supplied on a 1000-foot spool for smooth cable deployment and reduced waste during installation. Continuous cable length minimizes splices and is ideal for contractors, installers, and network professionals.
  • ⚡ Built for High-Performance Optical Networks – Supports high-bandwidth fiber optic applications including 1G, 10G, 40G, 100G, and higher-speed networks. Perfect for backbone cabling, LAN/WAN networks, security systems, telecommunications, and industrial networking.

Corning expected charges of up to $80 million and annual savings of up to $12 million, EE Times reported. The December 8, 2003 glassonweb.com account put the pretax charge at $70 million to $80 million and annual savings at $12 million. These amounts were forecasts associated with the planned restructuring, not evidence of the final charge or savings realized.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

How many jobs were affected?

Contemporaneous reports gave different workforce estimates, so they should not be combined into a single definitive job-loss or net-employment figure.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
CableWholesale 12-Strand Fiber Optic Cable, Singlemode, Black, 500ft Spool
  • Corning SMF-28 Ultra Fiber: Utilizes 12 strands of premium Corning SMF-28 Ultra OS2 9/125um singlemode fiber, optimized for low attenuation and high-speed data transmission.
  • Versatile Indoor/Outdoor Use: Riser-rated with a durable black jacket, making it suitable for a wide range of environments, from internal building wiring to external OSP applications.
  • Enhanced Structural Integrity: Surrounded by Aramid yarn, similar to Kevlar, offering additional protection and ease of installation across various settings.
  • Optimized for High-Performance Networks: Designed for critical network applications including FTTH, telecommunication, CCTV, and data communications, supporting 1310nm and 1550nm wavelengths.
  • Superior Armored Protection: Features spiral steel armor for ultimate environmental resistance and mechanical strength against crush, pressure, and tension forces during deployment.
Report Reported workforce impact
EE Times, December 5, 2003 135 employees were expected to lose their jobs; 70 jobs were expected at the Canton and Fairport receiving plants.
glassonweb.com, December 8, 2003 About 110 jobs were expected to be eliminated from a workforce of roughly 135 at the two plants; about 24 employees were to be reassigned, and 70 new jobs were expected.

The reports do not explain the difference between the 110 and 135 job-elimination figures. The accounts also describe reassignment and new positions differently, so the stated 70 jobs should not be treated as a proven one-for-one offset to the reported job losses.

Best Value
Sale
Bangun SC/APC to SC/APC Fiber Optic Internet Cable, Armored Single Mode Patch Cable, Fiber Optic Jumper Optical Patch Cord - SIMPLEX - 9/125um - OS1/OS2 Compatible, LSZH White, 2m
  • Replacement fiber optic cable for ATT Fiber modem/router, Verizon Fios. This Optical Fiber cable suitables for all networks, CATV, FTTH, FTTB and FTTP systems, it is commonly used for Verizon Fios, Google Fiber and more FTTH in-home Fiber optic network optimizations and extensions. Most customers use our SC/APC to SC/APC cables for in house ONT (Optical network Terminal) relocation. They use this fiber patch cable to re-route their Fiber Optic Networks or extend their fiber internet cable.
  • Stronger Fiber Optic Cable with Armored: Stop struggling with patch fiber cable been chewed by your pet. This fiber jumper cable built-in a stainless steel tube inside to protect the inner core(fiber glass) from damage like pet chew. Also use protective LSZH outer jacket to strengthen the structure of cable. It retains all the features of a standard patch cord, but is much stronger. Pressure resist and Wear resist.
  • White Fiber Optic Internet Cable specially designed for needs of white application of home Fiber Optic Installers. White fiber patch cables can match your white equipment and white trim. We designed this white patch cables to meet customers need of decor colors. We are a professional manufacturer and accept customized orders. If necessary, please contact us for customized Cable to meet your needs.
  • Package includes one Free Coupler - You get a SC-APC Fiber Optic Adapter for easy extension
  • Product details: Connector SCAPC/SCAPC Mode: 9/125μm. Wavelength: 1310nm to 1550nm. Jacket Material: Low-Smoke, Zero Halogen (LSZH) Armoured jacket. Jacket Color: White. OD: 3.0mm. RoHS Compliant, Resistant to Electrical Interference.
Rank #4
PacSatSales - 3M / 10ft SC/APC Fiber Optic Internet Cable - Simplex - Single Mode Cable & Connector - Replacement Fiber Internet Cable or Optical Extension for Residential Networks
  • Fix your Home Fiber - Replaces or extends a Verizon Fios cable, AT&T Fiber optic cable for the AT&T fiber optic modem bgw 320 and more. Our 3M SCAPC fiber optic patch cable is the ideal replacement or fiber optic extension cable
  • Easy Press and Click Installation - Works as a Verizon internet cable replacement, ATT Fiber optic cable internet, Google Fiber fiber optic cable 10 ft, Century link, UniFi Dream machine and as a fiber optic network cable replacement for any corning fiber cable
  • 50% Thicker Jacket - Our 3mm optical fiber cable is more robust than a standard 2mm thin network fiber optical cable. Our Singlemode fiberoptic cable meets all UL, cUL, IEC & RoHS standards
  • Fiber Optic SCAPC Connector Included - SC APC Adapter included with each cable for easy extension or connection from your incoming ONT cable
  • Pre-Cleaned & Ready for use - We pre clean and dust cap cover all cables prior to shipment so you avoid Fiber signal Loss. Remove Dust cap before insertion, never tough the end face

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More post from the Money Desk

  1. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 267 minMortgage Escrow FAQs: Taxes, Insurance, Shortages, and Refunds
  2. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow Mortgage Escrow Accounts Work and What Homeowners Pay For
  3. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow to Read a Stock Chart, Volume and Market-Cap Data
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.