Ceramic and glass business news of the week for May 17, 2021

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Enel begins construction on US renewable projects

Enel Green Power North America, the U.S. subsidiary of Italy-based energy company Enel, has started construction works on five wind, solar, and hybrid projects in Texas, Oklahoma, and Illinois.

US approves first major offshore wind farm

The Biden administration said it has approved the nation’s first major offshore wind farm, billing it as the launch of a new domestic energy industry that will help eliminate emissions from the power sector. The Vineyard Wind project will be located 14 miles (23 km) off the coast of Massachusetts.

juwi to build large off-grid solar hybrid project in Egypt

The juwi Group will build the world’s largest off-grid hybrid project in the mining industry with a solar park and battery storage system around 30 kilometers southwest of the Egyptian port city of Marsa Alam. The 36-megawatt solar farm and 7.5-megawatt battery storage system will be integrated into the existing diesel power plant at Sukari Gold Mine.

Finland-based glass fiber tissue producer plans $70 million investment in Kentucky

Finland-based Ahlstrom-Munksjö announced it will build a second facility in Madisonville, Kentucky, with a $70 million investment. The new facility will house a glass fiber tissue production line to make luxury vinyl tiles and vinyl sheet materials.

Mitsubishi and Texas Brine develop salt cavern storage for hydrogen

Mitsubishi Power Americas is partnering with Texas Brine Company to develop salt cavern storage possibilities for hydrogen. The alliance will initially focus on existing sites controlled by Texas Brine and its affiliates.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Ferro Corporation to be acquired by Prince International Corporation

Ferro Corporation, a leading global supplier of technology-based functional coatings and color solutions, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Prince International Corporation, a portfolio company of American Securities LLC, in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $2.1 billion.

Huixiang Energy enters purchase and sale contract with Hiboss Electric Vehicle

Ionix Technology, Inc., a business aggregator of photoelectric display and smart energy technology, announced its wholly-owned subsidiary Huixiang Energy Technology Co., Ltd. signed a product purchase and sale contract with Hiboss Electric Vehicle. The agreement will help Ionix open a new prospect in development of the energy vehicle market.

IIT Hyderabad and NIMS Japan jointly launch research center for materials research

The Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, and the National Institute for Materials Science, Japan launched the Joint Research Centre. The two institutes signed an agreement last year on a collaborative program that allows graduate students enrolled in doctoral programs to stay at NIMS for up to one year to conduct their thesis research.

Kiwi Power enters Japanese energy market with ENECHANGE as channel partner

Kiwi Power, a global energy technology company, partnered with ENECHANGE Ltd., a Japanese leader in energy technology innovation, to bring its advanced distributed energy resource platform to Japan.

Inkron to join the LaSAR Alliance

Inkron, manufacturer of high and low refractive index optically clear coating materials, joins the Laser Scanning for Augmented Reality (LaSAR) Alliance. LaSAR fosters and encourages development and promotion of technologies, techniques, and solutions to enable efficient design and manufacture of augmented reality wearable devices.

Cornell joins Global Wind Energy Council

Cornell University has become one of the first U.S. universities to partner with the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), becoming an official academic member. The council is the international trade association for the wind power industry.

OTHER STORIES

Webinar: A conversation on deploying apprenticeship

The Robert C. Byrd Institute and America Makes are hosting a live webinar, “A conversation on deploying apprenticeship,” on May 19 at 1 p.m. The webinar will capture best practices on managing on-the-job training and implementing an apprenticeship program.

Seminar: Refractories, key technology and its applications

The European Centre for Refractories will hold the seminar “Refractories—Key Technology and its Applications” as an online event that can be booked and attended in individual blocks. The first block provides application-oriented basics of key refractory technologies and is supplemented by three half-day blocks. The seminar takes place Aug. 31–Sept. 2.

International Year of Glass 2022 set for UN approval

The United Nations is set to approve a proposed International Year of Glass 2022 this week. The proposal passed a process of silence that is imposed by the UN before any resolution, which means that the proposal will definitely be approved at the next United Nations General Assembly on May 17 and 18.

Binghamton students start company to use recycled glass as cement replacement

Three students from Binghamton University founded a company that processes contaminated glass from recycling facilities into Pantheon, a cement replacement for use in concrete. The students have won multiple competitions with their concepts and business plan, and have received both federal and state grants.

Apple awards Corning $45 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund

Apple is awarding $45 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to Corning Inc., a supplier of precision glass for iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad. The funding will expand Corning’s manufacturing capacity in the U.S. and drive research and development into innovative new technologies that support durability and long-lasting product life.

Solar glass maker Borosil Renewables bags national award

Borosil Renewables Limited bagged the National Award 2021 award from the Indian government for the successful development and commercialization of indigenous solar glass technologies. The company has a manufacturing facility in Bharuch of Gujarat and supplies its 2.0 mm and 2.5 mm fully tempered solar glass to the European markets.

The Glass Packaging Institute develops glass recycling resource

The Glass Packaging Institute released a new resource for municipal recycling leaders called “Questions Municipal Recycling Leaders Should Ask About Glass Recycling.” The flyer educates local governments on glass recycling options and helps determine the best direction for satisfying residents’ expectations to recycle glass.

MARKET TRENDS

Norwegian project to research carbon capture and storage on ships

Norwegian shipping company Klaveness Combination Carriers became the first shipping line to join a new initiative that will explore the use of carbon capture and storage technologies for ships to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Advocates for DOE foundation present their case

Last Tuesday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation hosted a webinar to explore prospects for creating a nonprofit foundation affiliated with the Department of Energy that would solicit private funds to support commercialization of clean energy tech.

NEW PRODUCTS

FleX SN for antipathogenic and biomedical applications

SINTX Technologies, Inc. announced the FleX SNTM branded line of its silicon nitride based products. The FleX SN products are created under a highly flexible R&D model for use in many biomedical and antipathogenic applications, such as wound care and dressings, spinal and dental implants, consumer facemasks, and more.