Wii incidents are a relatively new phenomenon, but a glass company that has been in existence since the U.S. Civil War may have a modern option for the costly problem of errant Wii nunchuks and shattered TV screens. According to the AP, Corning Inc. has taken their 50-year-old Chemcor invention and made it marketable as Gorilla glass. The 159-year-old company expects to use Gorilla glass in the production of high-end TV’s and touch-screen tablets soon.

Gorilla glass first roared two years ago

After decades of languishing in a Corning laboratory trying to find a commercial application, Gorilla glass began to appear in cell phones in 2008. That presently produces $ 170 million per year, and entry into the television and touch-screen device markets would multiply earnings for Corning to the billions. Frameless flat screens would look like artwork, rather than appliances. The strength of the product would protect against such things as Wii accidents, yet the products would nevertheless appear elegant.

Strength times 3, thickness divided by half

Gorilla glass compares quite favorably with ordinary glass, writes the Associated Press. It’s 3 times as strong and much thinner. Because of the less-than-a-dime thickness, it is quite light in weight. Corning is currently working with Asian manufacturers to introduce Gorilla glass to the television market by early 2011. Share prices of Corning are already up, which is a good sign. Considering that high-end LCD glass generated the bulk of Corning’s sales in 2009 ($ 5.4 billion), there would likely be demand. Adding Gorilla glass to TVs is predicted to add only $ 30 to $ 60 per unit.

And what about other products?

Corning is confident that Gorilla glass is suitable for myriad products. Think refrigerator doors that enable you to see what’s in there without opening up and releasing the cold air. For the moment, Corning is on the precipice of making large money with Gorilla glass in high-end televisions.

Further reading

Associated Press

cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/01/ap/tech/main6734387.shtml

Related posts:

1. Gorilla Glass May Save Televisions From Wii Accidents

Tags: Corning, flat screen TV, gorilla glass, Wii accidents

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