- In September 2024, Corning Incorporated and Optiemus Infracom Ltd. launched a joint venture named Bharat Innovative Glass (BIG) Technologies to establish India’s first cover-glass finishing facility for mobile consumer electronics. Located at the SIPCOT-Pillaipakkam Industrial Estate in Tamil Nadu, greenfield project will manufacture high-quality protective front glass for smartphones and other devices. Production is expected to begin in the second half of 2025, creating around 840 jobs and introducing precision glass-processing technology to India for the first time. This move aligns with the Make in India initiative and strengthens Corning’s footprint in the Asia-Pacific region
- In August 2024, Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. (NEG) announced that its Dinorex UTG™—an ultra-thin glass designed for chemical strengthening—was selected as the display cover glass for the Motorola Razr 50 series of foldable smartphones. Despite being glass, Dinorex UTG™ can bend to a radius of 3mm or less, offering both durability and flexibility essential for foldable devices. This innovation highlights NEG’s leadership in specialty glass solutions and its commitment to supporting the evolving needs of the consumer electronics market, particularly in the fast-growing foldables segment
- In June 2023, Saint-Gobain India launched the production of India’s first low-carbon glass, marking a major milestone in sustainable construction. Developed to meet the rising demand for eco-friendly building materials, this innovative glass achieves a 40% reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional products. The lower footprint is made possible by using two-thirds recycled content, natural gas, and renewable electricity. Despite its environmental benefits, the glass retains the technical, aesthetic, and performance qualities of standard glass, making it ideal for energy-efficient buildings. This initiative supports India’s Net Zero by 2070 goals and reflects a broader shift toward low-embodied carbon materials in the Asia-Pacific region
- In March 2023, Corning Incorporated and Samsung Electronics announced a collaboration to co-develop ultra-thin glass substrates tailored for foldable displays in next-generation smartphones and tablets. This partnership focuses on enhancing durability, flexibility, and optical performance, addressing the growing demand for foldable and slidable devices in the consumer electronics market. Corning’s expertise in bendable glass innovation—including its proprietary ion-exchange strengthening process—complements Samsung’s leadership in OLED and foldable display technologies, aiming to deliver more robust and reliable foldable form factors
- In February 2023, Samsung Display returned to MWC after a five-year hiatus, unveiling the lightweight, durable, and water-resistant properties of its OLED technology through a series of interactive demonstrations at its booth themed “Hyper-Connected through OLED.” Visitors explored hands-on experiments at Dr. OLED’s Weird LAB, including dunking OLED panels in water, testing impact resistance with steel marbles, and comparing weight with LCDs using helium balloons. The showcase also featured foldable and slidable displays, QD-OLED monitors, and automotive OLED panels, underscoring the growing role of ultra-thin glass in next-gen consumer electronics across the Asia-Pacific market
