GT Advanced Technologies’ (GT) Arizona sapphire substrate facility reportedly began small scale sapphire production last month. Stephen Chin, analyst of UBS, revealed that the facility has also already begun shipping material to a Chinese supplier. 

Apple first signed a contract with GT in November 2013 to secure sapphire supply for future devices. (photo credit: Robert S. Donovan via photopin cc)

GT is estimated to of shipped around US $1 million in sapphire material to an unnamed Chinese supplier last month, said Chin to AppleInsider. The company is only using around 100 furnaces at the moment but will increase to 1,500 units once the facility is fully operational. Shipment is estimated to be around US $50 million monthly to the company’s Chinese supplier when the facility is up and running 100 percent. It is speculated that the material is used to create scratch resistant covers for devices such as the iPhone 5s. 

GT received an additional payment from Apple in late April for sapphire material. It is estimate that GT will receive an additional payment this month.