Ceramic and glass business news of the week for September 13, 2021

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

New one million annual ton cement factory to be constructed near Tobruk

The Minister of Industry and Minerals laid the foundation stone for the establishment of a cement factory located on the road linking the cities of Tobruk and Jaghboub in Libya. The National Mining Corporation and Al-Shahba Cement Company signed an agreement to establish a factory with a production capacity of one million tons annually.

China opens first plant that will turn nuclear waste into glass for safer storage

China opened its first plant to turn radioactive waste into glass. The plant in Guangyuan in the southwestern province of Sichuan will be able to process several hundred cubic metres of high level radioactive liquid waste each year, according to state media reports.

Samsung decision on new US chip plant location ‘imminent’

A decision by Samsung Electronics on the location of its new $17 billion U.S. chip plant was imminent, according to the judge for Texas’ Williamson County, which is in the running for the new factory. Samsung said it would start construction on the new 6-million-square-foot plant in January, with production up and running by the end of 2024.

Ubiquitous Energy installs Colorado’s first fully transparent solar windows

Ubiquitous Energy installed fully transparent, electricity-generating windows featuring UE Power in a newly constructed, energy-efficient building with developer Morgan Creek Ventures. Boulder Commons II is part of a series of energy-efficient commercial office buildings in Boulder, Colo., from Morgan Creek Ventures.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Alloy Engineering acquires Thermcraft Inc.

Alloy Engineering, a diverse fabricator specializing in high-temperature and corrosion-resistant alloys, acquired Thermcraft Inc., a leading manufacturer of high-quality thermal processing equipment.

Avery Dennison completes acquisition of Vestcom

Materials science and manufacturing company Avery Dennison Corporation acquired Vestcom for the purchase price of $1.45 billion, subject to customary adjustments. Vestcom is a provider of pricing and branded labeling solutions at the shelf-edge for retailers and consumer packaged goods companies.

Chinese firm signs 2 GW Iraq solar deal

Iraq signed an initial agreement with PowerChina to build solar power plants across the country with an expected capacity of 2 GW. It is the second solar deal Iraq signed since June, when it reached a strategic agreement with UAE-based clean energy firm Masdar to develop solar projects in central and southern Iraq with an expected capacity of 2 GW.

Solar duo form 200 MW German PV pact

Ampyr Solar Europe and Commerz Real’s KlimaVest signed a strategic cooperation agreement to develop, build, and commission a pipeline of large-scale solar projects in Germany. The initial portfolio of three solar farms located will have a combined capacity of about 200 MW.

Norway and US sign agreement to deal with HEU

Norway’s Minister of Trade and Industry Iselin Nybø and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm signed a letter of intent to develop a method that will ensure that Norwegian highly enriched uranium can no longer be used for nuclear weapons, and which makes it suitable for storage and disposal.

Megawide, German firm team up for lower-emission concrete

Megawide Construction Corp. partnered with German firm MultiCON to use the latter’s high-speed mixing technology to manufacture concrete at a cheaper rate while emitting less carbon dioxide. The venture lets Megawide exclusively use MultiCON’s advanced concrete mixing system OptiCon for its projects.

Nano Dimension, Fraunhofer Institute collaborate to develop next-gen 3D-printing systems

Nano Dimension Ltd. announced a collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA to focus on research and development within the field of autonomous fabrication of electromechanical systems based on 3D freeform printing and the highest precision 3D assembly technologies.

BHP signs partnership deal with billionaire-backed AI explorer KoBold

BHP Group will team up with billionaire-backed AI exploration firm KoBold Metals to look for battery minerals like copper and nickel in Australia and other global locations. Privately held KoBold uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to hunt for raw materials.

Norwegian Energy enters Danish carbon capture and storage project

Norwegian Energy Co. ASA entered a partnership to develop carbon capture and storage in the Danish North Sea. Project Bifrost will evaluate the potential for CO₂ transportation and storage at the Harald field in the Danish North Sea, reusing existing North Sea infrastructure while demonstrating CO₂ storage in a depleted offshore gas field.

OTHER STORIES

Webinar: Precious metals in glassmaking

Glass International is hosting a webinar on precious metals in glassmaking on September 21 at 10 a.m. Eastern. Speakers from Heraeus Precious Metals include technical sales manager Sophie Franchitto and head of innovation Matthias Wegner.

Lithoz celebrates 10 years of ceramic 3D printing leadership

Lithoz is celebrating its 10-year anniversary as a provider of ceramic 3D printing machines and materials. Initially founded as a spin-off from TU Wien in 2011, Lithoz aims to establish ceramic 3D printing as a reliable manufacturing process for industrial mass production.

Electric cars: Ofgem plans easier way for drivers to sell energy back to grid

The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets in Great Britain plans to make it easier for electric vehicle drivers to sell the energy stored in their car batteries back to the power grid as part of a move to help make the switch away from fossil fuel cars more affordable.

Ambuja Cements launches Concrete Futures Laboratory initiative

Ambuja Cements Limited launched a one-of-its-kind initiative, “Concrete Futures Laboratory,” to enable experts and budding professionals’ to test, learn, and experience various aspects of cement and concrete.

Siemens Gamesa launches recyclable wind turbine blade

Siemens Gamesa launched RecyclableBlade, which it says is the world’s first recyclable wind turbine blade ready for commercial use offshore. The blades are manufactured from multiple reinforcement materials combined with a new resin that is designed to dissolve in a reportedly mild, efficient recycling process at the end of the blade’s service life.

AAS journals transitioning to full open access

The American Astronomical Society announced that its five peer-reviewed research journals will be fully open access as of Jan. 1, 2022. Under the new policy, subscription fees and paywalls will be eliminated and the journal’s operating costs will be supported by publication charges.

MARKET TRENDS

From 4% to 45%: Energy Department lays out ambitious blueprint for solar power

The Biden administration released a blueprint showing how the U.S. could move toward producing almost half of its electricity from the sun by 2050. Solar energy contributed less than 4% of the U.S.’s electricity last year. The U.S. would have to double the amount of solar energy installed every year over the next four years and then double it again by 2030.

Four top considerations in lithium-ion battery plant design

A Battery Technology article looks at four top considerations in lithium-ion battery plant design, including creating and maintaining an ultralow-humidity environment, fire protection requirements, liaising with process equipment vendors, and electrical demands.

A dead battery dilemma: Scientists are seeking better battery recycling methods

An article on Science overviews the research taking place to develop better recycling methods for electric car batteries.

NEW PRODUCTS

XJet launches SMART for automated post-processing of ceramic AM parts

XJet Ltd. announced the launch of the SMART station, a new system for automated post-processing of ceramic AM parts. The equipment provides the last link in the chain for automated end-to-end additive manufacturing using XJet NanoParticle Jetting.

New powder-to-part characterization methodology for additive manufacturing

Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology LLC partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop and commercialize a comprehensive powder-to-part characterization methodology for additive manufacturing.

6K Additive launches refractory metal powders for additive manufacturing

6K Additive announced the commercial availability of refractory metal powders for additive manufacturing. Materials such as tungsten, rhenium, tungsten/rhenium, and niobium-based powders used for defense, aerospace and medical industries are sought after materials for high-temperature, high-strength applications.

Flexicon introduces access platform line

Flexicon introduced a new line of anti-slip access platforms to reach elevated process equipment safely, eliminating the need for ladders, scissor lifts, and forklift cages. The modular system includes braced frames, which can be bolted to the floor, 48-inch-square deck sections, and stairways with elevations up to 96 inches.

Magid is offers new line of PPE for the glass industry

Magid will reveal its new line of personal protective equipment specially engineered to serve the unique needs of the glass industry at the 2021 Glass Build America Show in Atlanta, Georgia. The new line includes M-GARD breathable garments, which deliver critical ANSI Cut Level A7-A9 protection, and PPG and Neat certified gloves.