Catawba County EDC supports Corning’s $150 million manufacturing investment and creation of 200 jobs in Hickory

HICKORY, NC (September 28, 2021) — The Catawba County Economic Development Corporation announced today that Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) has planned a manufacturing expansion in Trivium Corporate Center in Hickory, North Carolina. Corning will invest $150 million and create 200 jobs. Salaries will vary by position, but the average annual compensation for the new jobs will be $55,000, a 25% increase compared to Catawba County’s average wage.

“We believe the industry is in the early stages of a major growth cycle, and we’re turning once again to the highly skilled local workforce in Catawba County to help us meet the demand,” said Michael A. Bell, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Optical Communications. “With this capacity expansion, Corning is addressing demand from leading network operators — in particular AT&T, which previously announced plans to significantly expand its fiber footprint. We deeply appreciate the support of local and state officials, including county board chair Randy Isenhower and Hickory Mayor Hank Guess.”

“We are grateful for Corning’s ongoing contributions to our local economy,” said Randy Isenhower, chair, Catawba County Board of County Commissioners. “The company’s investments in their Hickory and Newton facilities have continued to benefit our local economy by helping us to maintain our low tax rate, resulting in even more opportunities for people to enjoy our good quality of life in Catawba County.”

“Continued innovation of technology and communications has never been more important than it is today,” said Hank Guess, City of Hickory mayor, and chair, Trivium Corporate Center Board of Directors. “The onset of the pandemic highlighted our need to be connected to each other and communicate effectively with each other even when we aren’t able to physically be together.”

“As we celebrate Corning’s newest expansion, the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation is committed to working in partnership with Catawba County and all of our municipalities to grow our economy and provide quality opportunities for the 174,000 workers in the Hickory MSA labor force,” said Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, chair of Catawba County EDC and president of Catawba Valley Community College. “The EDC places a high priority on growing and training our labor force to ensure employers such as Corning have an ever-expanding pipeline of workers to support their needs over the long term. We encourage all of our employers to become involved with the many workforce-oriented opportunities available to every company in Catawba County such as K-64, CVCC’s Workforce Solutions Complex, the Manufacturing Solutions Center, Hickory4Vets, Apprenticeship Catawba, and others.”

For more information about Corning, including job opportunities, visit www.corning.com.

Support the Caldwell Journal for as little as $1 a month through Patreon. Thank you!