Sunday, September 17, 2023

STL opens optical manufacturing facility in South Carolina

STL inaugurated a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Lugoff, South Carolina - The Palmetto Plant. 

The new facility, spanning over 168,000 sq. ft will specialize in future-ready optical solutions, including high fiber count cables with smaller diameters. The emphasis will also extend to pioneering designs, notably high-capacity ribbonized cables and ruggedized designs for rural deployments. 

The company said this strategic investment reinforces its commitment to the Make in America vision. 

The Palmetto Plant will also serve as STL's North American Headquarters.

Paul Atkinson,  CEO, Optical Networking Business at STL, said: "Our new cable plant in Lugoff, South Carolina, is a testament to our commitment to the US market and our customers in North America. This facility mirrors our ethos and  STL's larger purpose - of Transforming Billions of Lives by Connecting the World. I am excited to see its impact on America's rural connectivity and digital landscape." 

  • In August, Nokia confirmed that its fiber-optic broadband network electronics and optical modules manufactured in the U.S. will meet the current Buy America guidelines announced by the Department of Commerce. Nokia expects to become the first Buy America compliant technology vendor eligible for use in the Department of Commerce Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.
  • In May, Corning inaugurated its newest optical cable manufacturing campus in Hickory, North Carolina. Corning has manufactured optical fiber and cable in North Carolina for more than 40 years. With the opening of the Trivium campus, Corning will manufacture optical cable at two sites in Hickory and at sites in Newton and Winston-Salem. The company manufactures optical fiber in Concord and Wilmington.