Apple Could Be Thinking Of Repurposing GT’s Mesa Sapphire Plant

According to our report from a couple of days ago, Apple and GT Advanced Technologies had reached a settlement regarding the latter’s bankruptcy filing. The settlement would also see GT Advanced Technologies begin to wind down production at their Mesa, Arizona plant and possibly sell off some of their furnaces to help repay their debt to Apple.

However interestingly enough, Apple has since come forward to state that the plant might not be completely shut down. Instead the Cupertino company could have their own uses for it and might repurpose it for something else.

According to the statement released by Apple, “Apple put a lot of effort into an ambitious new sapphire manufacturing process with GTAT which is not ready for production. We’re going to continue evaluating GTAT’s progress on larger sapphire boule development, as well as consider other options for the facility.”

Prior to this, GT Advanced Technologies had considered taking action against Apple. The company had felt that their contract with Apple was oppressive and burdensome, but the settlement from two days ago was revealed to have been an amicable parting of ways, at least according to GT’s lawyer. In any case it’s really anyone’s guess as to what Apple could use the Mesa plant for, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled anyway.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple