Corning’s long history of innovation begins with the development of a bulb-shaped glass encasement for Thomas Edison’s new incandescent lamp.
With this development, Corning and General Electric ushered in the age of electricity by bringing affordable light to homes across America. The light bulb became a staple of Corning’s early business and created a need for a more efficient, automated production process.
In 1926, Corning met that need with the ribbon machine. This innovative machine solidified Corning’s position as a leading glass manufacturer and established the process later used for cathode ray tube production. Nearly eight decades later, ribbon machine technology is still used to produce light bulbs around the world.