Dec 31, 2025 · 44 min
Apple and Corning expand America’s manufacturing pipeline
Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer 12/30/25
The episode examines whether Apple’s $600 billion U.S. commitment can strengthen domestic suppliers, workers, communities, and advanced technology infrastructure.
- 1Apple’s planned investment would reach thousands of U.S. partners, spanning factories, semiconductors, packaging, equipment, and workforce training.
- 2Corning’s Kentucky plant illustrates how specialized Apple partnerships can create manufacturing jobs while anchoring long-term community commitments.
- 3AI data centers, fiber optics, mobile devices, and solar technology give Corning several avenues for growth beyond smartphone glass.
Don't miss
Cramer tours Corning’s Harrodsburg facility as Tim Cook and Wendell Weeks explain how specialized glass production supports Apple’s domestic manufacturing plans.
The brief
Jim Cramer opens from Kentucky with a case study in American manufacturing: Apple’s $600 billion U.S. commitment and its partnership with Corning.
Tim Cook describes how Apple’s spending could flow through thousands of U.S. partners, while raising questions about workforce training, tariffs, global demand, and China.
Inside Corning’s Harrodsburg plant, Cook and Wendell Weeks show how specialized materials and processes produce cover glass for iPhones and Apple Watches.
The discussion widens from glass to semiconductors, packaging, and equipment, arguing that a domestic supply chain depends on coordinated capabilities rather than one factory.
Weeks identifies AI data centers, fiber optics, mobile devices, and solar manufacturing as growth markets, with optical connections potentially replacing copper.
What was said on this episode
10 statements · 8 positive · 2 negative
The latest Ceramic Shield is 50% stronger than the first version.
“it's about 50% stronger than the first ceramic shield.”
Listen at 11:28
New manufacturing processes could produce much more durable, cost-competitive glass products.
“will enable this to create products that are 100 times, 200 times even more durable as we go into the future and be cost competitive.”
Listen at 12:27
The integrated Apple-Corning glass process is almost impossible for competitors to replicate.
“this type of high integration makes it almost impossible to replicate.”
Listen at 15:18
Corning will not provide Apple-specific materials to Samsung.
“Apple's materials are Apple's materials.”
Listen at 15:50
Corning’s data-center business is currently its fastest-growing business.
“it certainly is our fastest growing business right now.”
Listen at 36:27
Longer AI interconnect distances can make optical fiber more economical than copper.
“Once you do that, the distance can climb enough that it's more techno-economical to use optical fiber than copper.”
Listen at 37:15
Corning’s scale-up business could be two to three times its current enterprise business.
“Scale up would be two to three times that size.”
Listen at 39:40
The long-haul network carrier business is growing again.
“now it's growing again.”
Listen at 40:31
Corning will triple its solar run rate by the end of next year.
“We're going to triple that rate. by as early as the end of next year.”
Listen at 41:20
Solar is an important component of the overall energy mix.
“solar for sure is an important part of the overall matrix that you need.”
Listen at 41:38
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
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