U.S. Fiber Optic Cable Construction Progresses Alongside Data Centers

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Written by Eric Funderburk for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Construction at U.S. facilities that manufacture the fiber optic cable used in data centers is keeping pace with strong demand.

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A High-Demand Product

A simple glance through the daily news headlines shows that many data centers are being built throughout the U.S., for better or worse. These facilities, which continue to increase in size and scope, use miles of fiber optic cable, and manufacturers of both the finished cables and the optical fibers that compose them are keeping pace with new construction in order to meet increasing demand--and all signs are pointing to sustained demand growth.

The Fiber Broadband Association forecasts a doubling in the deployment of individual optical fiber miles (the glass-strand components of fiber optic cables) in the U.S, rising from 159 million miles to 373 million miles by 2029. In terms of the fiber optic cables that can hold more than a hundred of these individual fibers, the association projects a near doubling in route miles from 95,000 miles to 187,000 miles.

Industrial Info Resources data show more than $5 billion in current and planned U.S. construction involving optical fiber cabling. The largest destination for these projects is North Carolina, and two companies account for a significant share of the spending: Prysmian and Corning.

Current Construction

By far the largest project underway is Prysmian's expansion of its facility in Claremont, North Carolina. Prysmian is investing more than $1 billion to add around 975,000 square feet of additional building space to the campus and is developing the facility to be a top-down plant encompassing initial glass manufacture, the production of the individual optical fibers and final cable production. Prysmian is just getting started on the expansion work, and construction is expected to last into 2030. Subscribers can access details of the project, including construction timelines, key contact details, and equipment and service needs, by clicking here.

Corning also is investing in North Carolina with the expansion of its plant in Hickory, which is located around 55 miles northeast of Charlotte. The expansion will increase Corning's production of fiber optic cabling, and Meta, which has put in place a $6 billion supply agreement with Corning through 2030, is the driving force behind the expansion. The project just broke ground last month and is expected to last into 2028.

Smaller expansions are underway from SubCom in New Hampshire and AFL in South Carolina.

Future Construction

Prysmian also leads for planned construction, with expansions at its plants in Lexington, South Carolina, and Jackson, Tennessee, on the books. Prysmian's primary cabling contract was made earlier this year with Molex, which provides connectivity solutions for data centers as an intermediary party, differing from Corning's contracts in place with data center owners such as Meta and Amazon. The 10-year, $6 billion+ agreement is driving Prysmian's tri-state investment, which it expects to lead to a doubling in its production of fiber optic cable.

For more on Corning's deals with Meta and Amazon, see January 2026 article - Corning Signs $6 Billion Deal to Supply Meta with Fiber-Optic Cable and June 2026 article - Corning to Supply Amazon Data Centers with Fiber Optics.

Another contract between Corning and NVIDIA is driving future Corning construction in Texas and North Carolina, although these projects remain at a very early stage, potentially adding up to more than $3 billion worth of construction investment.

Maintenance Programs

Maintenance at existing U.S. fiber optic cabling plants remains an ongoing concern, and Industrial Info Resources is tracking nine planned maintenance programs from this year though 2028 at U.S. fiber optics plants.

Key Takeaways

• Data centers are driving the buildout of U.S. fiber optic cabling manufacturing plants, with Corning and Prysmian being the major drivers of investment.
• Both companies have billions of dollars of supply contracts in place.
• North Carolina is a prime destination for the construction.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).