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<b><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://tinyurl.com/lhgu2kc">http://tinyurl.com/lhgu2kc</a> </b><br>
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Apple to Convert GT Sapphire Glass Plant to Data Center<br>
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By Chris Lange February 3, 2015 11:05 am EST<br>
<p>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has announced that it will invest
roughly $2 billion to convert the former GT Advanced Technologies’
sapphire glass plant in Mesa, Ariz., to a large data center.
Apple’s current core data center is located in North Carolina, but
with increased demand for iTunes, iCloud, Siri and other
cloud-based services, the server capacity needs to grow.</p>
<div id="dfp-in-text"> </div>
<p>The facility had been owned by Apple the entire time of the
partnership, through the GT bankruptcy, and it was under a
lease-agreement for that time.</p>
<p>GT had originally entered into an agreement with Apple to produce
the sapphire glass for the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus series. The
plant was set up in 2013. However, the company was not able to
produce enough sapphire to meet Apple’s demands, which resulted in
GT filing for bankruptcy last October.</p>
<p>It is worth noting that the planned $2 billion investment is one
of the largest investments that Apple has ever made. Just this
past year, Apple acquired Beats Electronic to the tune of $3
billion.</p>
<p>The tech giant is calling this new data center its “command
center for global networks.”</p>
<p><a
href="http://247wallst.com/technology/2015/02/02/why-apple-is-selling-billions-in-debt-again/"
target="_blank"><strong>ALSO READ: Why Apple Is Selling Billions
in Debt Again</strong></a></p>
<p>Apple has offered to help find jobs for those that were affected
when the factory initially closed.</p>
<p>This new facility is expected to employ 150-full time Apple
employees, as well as adding around 500 construction jobs. In
terms of energy, the new facility will be exclusively powered by
renewable energy sources. The expected power consumption from the
proposed center is 70 MW, or roughly equal to 14,500 homes.</p>
<p>Apple said in a statement:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This multibillion-dollar project is one of the largest
investments we’ve ever made, and when completed it will add over
600 engineering and construction jobs to the more than 1 million
jobs Apple has already created in the U.S. Like all Apple data
centers, it will be powered by 100% renewable energy, much of
which will come from a new local solar farm.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Many media reports had Apple being very aggressive in the GT
bankruptcy. Our view at the time was that Apple wanted to shield
its business practices from being better understood, but maybe
they just wanted the facility.</p>
<p>Shares of Apple were down fractionally at $118.21 in late Tuesday
morning trading. The stock has a consensus analyst price target of
$129.53 and a 52-week trading range of $71.82 to $120.00.</p>
<b><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://tinyurl.com/lhgu2kc">http://tinyurl.com/lhgu2kc</a> <br>
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<br>
Ken<br>
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