Corning Opens Diesel Products Facility

CORNING, N.Y., April 9 -- Corning Inc. opened a $200 million clean-air products plant in Erwin, N.Y., this week. Production of large Corning diesel substrates began at the plant in January; by January 2005, Corning said it expects the facility to employ approximately 250 people there.

New emission requirements for the diesel vehicle market are estimated to create an approximately $1 billion worldwide market for substrates and filters by 2008, Corning said.

"The new facility will help meet this growing global demand, as it is designed and built to meet the specific large-scale manufacturing operations required to produce substrates and filters for medium-and heavy-duty diesel applications, such as trucks and buses," the company said in a statement.

New York Gov. George Pataki was on hand for the plant opening, which Corning said will strengthen the Southern Tier/Upstate New York manufacturing base and boost the area’s economy.

Demand for diesel emission-control products continues to increase as tighter clean-air standards are implemented in the US, Europe and Asia. These regulations include US standards taking effect in 2004 and scheduled for 2007, as well as European rules set for 2005 and anticipated for 2008.

Corning is a supplier of advanced catalytic converter substrates and particulate filters to manufacturers of gasoline and diesel vehicles and engines. The company invented an economical, high-performance cellular ceramic substrate in the early 1970s that is now the standard for catalytic converters worldwide. In 1978, Corning developed the cellular ceramic particulate filter to remove soot from diesel emissions.

For more information, visit: corning.com