Corning Incorporated
Acquisitions
3
Major Deals Covered
$5.7B
Disclosed Deal Value
Corning's largest disclosed acquisition here is Dow Corning realignment (Hemlock Semiconductor stake) for $4.8B in 2016. This page covers 3 major deals from 2014 to 2018, each with its price where disclosed and the reason behind it.
| Company | Year | Price | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Corning Precision Materials | 2014 | Undisclosed | Corning took full ownership of its Korean LCD glass joint venture with Samsung Display, consolidating a major display glass manufacturing base. As part of the deal, Samsung Display became a significant Corning shareholder through convertible preferred stock. |
| Dow Corning realignment (Hemlock Semiconductor stake) | 2016 | $4.8B | Corning exchanged its 50% stake in Dow Corning for about $4.8 billion in cash plus Dow Corning's 40% stake in Hemlock Semiconductor, giving Corning a direct position in polysilicon. |
| 3M Communication Markets Division | 2018 | $900.0M | Corning bought 3M's communication markets division for about $900 million to add copper and fiber connectivity products for carrier networks. |
2018
$900M
Corning bought 3M's communication markets division for about $900 million to add copper and fiber connectivity products for carrier networks.
Broadened Corning's Optical Communications portfolio and customer reach in carrier networks.
Integrated into Optical Communications.
2016
$4.8B
Corning exchanged its 50% stake in Dow Corning for about $4.8 billion in cash plus Dow Corning's 40% stake in Hemlock Semiconductor, giving Corning a direct position in polysilicon.
Funded share repurchases and investment, and made Hemlock part of Corning's portfolio; Corning later became Hemlock's majority owner.
Hemlock is reported within Hemlock and Emerging Growth Businesses and supports Corning's U.S. solar wafer push.
2014
Corning took full ownership of its Korean LCD glass joint venture with Samsung Display, consolidating a major display glass manufacturing base. As part of the deal, Samsung Display became a significant Corning shareholder through convertible preferred stock.
Gave Corning direct control of Korean display glass production and a deeper relationship with Samsung.
The operations are part of Corning's Display segment.
Corning's growth strategy centers on optical connectivity for generative-AI data centers, which need far more fiber and connections per rack than traditional facilities. In January 2026 Meta agreed to buy up to $6 billion of fiber, cable, and connectivity through 2030, anchoring a capacity expansion in Hickory, North Carolina. A long-term NVIDIA partnership calls for Corning to expand U.S. optical connectivity capacity 10x and U.S. fiber capacity by more than 50%, and in June 2026 Amazon signed a multiyear fiber deal expected to add about 1,000 North Carolina jobs. Outside optics, Corning is scaling a U.S. solar wafer business (Solar sales grew 90% in Q2 2026) and pushing automotive glass and new Gorilla Glass grades.
Corning is a B2B manufacturer organized into Optical Communications (fiber, cable, and connectivity for carriers and data centers), Display (glass substrates for LCD and OLED panels), Specialty Materials (Gorilla Glass and advanced optics), Automotive (emissions-control ceramics and auto glass), Life Sciences (labware), and Hemlock and Emerging Growth businesses including polysilicon and solar wafers. It does not sell finished consumer devices; it engineers materials that customers design into phones, TVs, networks, and cars, often under multi-year supply agreements.
In 2018, Corning acquired 3M's Communication Markets Division for approximately $900 million, expanding its global optical hardware, connectivity patch panels, and telecommunications footprint in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
In 2012, Corning acquired the Discovery Labware business of Becton, Dickinson and Company for $730 million, expanding Corning Life Sciences into specialized tissue culture, bioprocess labware, and Falcon brand laboratory consumables.
In 2016, Corning acquired Alliance Fiber Optic Products for approximately $305 million, adding high-performance optical interconnect components and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) modules crucial for cloud hyperscalers.
In January 2014, Corning acquired Samsung Display's 43% minority stake in their long-standing Korean joint venture, Samsung Corning Precision Materials, integrating the world's largest display glass manufacturing operations 100% into Corning while making Samsung a major equity shareholder in Corning.
In 2017, Corning acquired SpiderCloud Wireless, a pioneer in in-building small cell cellular systems, allowing Corning to deliver integrated fiber-fed 5G wireless connectivity to enterprise office towers, hospitals, and sports arenas.
Corning acquired Saint-Gobain's specialty glass and precision optics operations, expanding Corning's capabilities in high-energy laser optics, semiconductor lithography mirrors, and defense aerospace surveillance systems.
Corning pursues disciplined, bolt-on acquisitions that provide proprietary manufacturing platforms, specialized optical connectivity IP, or global customer distribution channels that directly leverage Corning's existing glass and optical science capabilities.
In 2016, Corning exchanged its 50% equity stake in the Dow Corning joint venture for $4.8 billion in cash and 100% ownership of Hemlock Semiconductor (a premier polysilicon producer for solar and microchips), returning billions to shareholders via share buybacks.
No. In 1943, Corning formed a massive 50/50 joint venture with Dow Chemical to create Dow Corning (focusing on silicones). However, in 2016, the companies completely dissolved the venture, with Dow acquiring full ownership of Dow Corning and Corning receiving $4.8 billion in cash.
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