Driven by our purpose of ‘Transforming Billions of Lives by Connecting the World’, STL is committed to ensuring that our optical fiber and cable solutions play a pivotal role in deploying high-quality broadband to every corner of the United States. We understand the significance of our products in enabling faster roll-out to support high-speed network access, and remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver superior quality, best-in-class optical products that not only meet but exceed industry standards.
As part of this commitment, our customers can be assured that the optical cable products manufactured in our Lugoff, South Carolina ‘Palmetto Plant’ comply in all respects with the Build America, Buy America (BABA) provisions, which mandate that optical fiber and cable used in federally-funded projects, including the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, be manufactured in the United States. The BEAD program, with its $42.45 billion federal funding allocation across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, aims to expand high-speed internet access by providing funding, planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs at the state and local level. This initiative is part of the U.S. Government’s historic commitment to connect every American to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet service while creating good-paying jobs and boosting American manufacturing.
Build America, Buy America (‘BABA’) provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Pub. L. 177-5, released on August 14, 2023 by the United States Office of Management and Budget classifies optical fiber and fiber optic cable as “construction materials”, requiring that every manufacturing process for such products occur in the United States. For fiber optic cable, this means that the ribboning, through buffering, fiber stranding and jacketing, occurs in the United States. For BABA-compliant optical fiber, all stages from initial preform fabrication through the completion of draw, must also occur in the United States.
In line with the spirit of ‘In America, For America’, STL has invested $56 million in its U.S. optical cable manufacturing facility and created over 125 full-time jobs. Our 168,000 sq. ft. North America Headquarters in South Carolina, the “Palmetto Plant”, was inaugurated in September 2023. This state-of-the-art facility specializes in the manufacturing of optical fiber cable solutions, utilizing advanced processes like ribboning, buffering, stranding, and jacketing. We offer a wide variety of BABA-compliant optical fiber cables, ranging from high-capacity ribbonized cables to ruggedized designs, suitable for various applications such as duct, direct buried, aerial, and last-mile connectivity.
Our products always exceed the toughest US quality standards, and are used by top US internet service providers who see our dedication to offering reliable, top-quality solutions. When you choose STL, you’re choosing trusty quality, setting the standard for excellent fiber.
