Apple will be making an investment of $2 billion to transform the sapphire plant of GT Advanced Technologies into a data center for the company's global networks.
The plant in Mesa, Arizona formerly manufactured sapphire, with GT Advanced a former partner of Apple.
The announcement was made by Gov. Doug Ducey through a press release, which also stated that once operational, the data center will house 150 full-time employees of Apple and will need 300 to 500 people for trade and construction jobs.
In a statement, Apple said that the planned data center will be serving as a command center for the company's global networks.
"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 US," Apple added.
The announcement signals the end of the rift between Apple and GT Advanced, a partnership that was formed in November of 2013 for the creation of the facility in Mesa for sapphire production. Sapphire, a material that is resistant to scratches but still retains its transparency, could be used for the screens of devices.
Apple previously said that the facility would be hiring 700 people and would be creating 1,300 jobs in management and construction roles. Experts expected that Apple be using sapphire for the screens of its newest iPhones.
GT Advanced struggled to launch production, and in October of last year, the company surprisingly filed for bankruptcy less than one year after signing a $578 million contract with Apple.
According to GT Advanced, the company was forced into a one-sided, money-draining agreement after Apple allegedly made a "bait and switch" move.
Daniel Squiller, the COO of GT Advanced, claimed that after Apple's offer of what would have been the company's biggest contract, Apple then modified the agreement after it was too late for GT Advanced to decline and pursue other deals.
Nevertheless, a settlement between the two companies has been approved by a bankruptcy court in December of last year, giving GT Advanced four years to dispose of the equipment still in the plant to pay back Apple. Apple will only gain full control of the facility in 2016.
Apple said that the data center will be running fully on renewable energy, which will come from a solar farm within Arizona. Ducey added that the decision of Apple to invest into the facility is a testament to the business-friendly environment and skillful workforce of the state.
