Ceramic and glass business news of the week for November 1, 2021

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

SKC Group to locate first of its kind glass-based semiconductor-part venture in Covington

SKC, a subsidiary of South Korea-based SK Group, and several business partners announced plans to manufacture glass-based substrates for semiconductor chips at SKC’s manufacturing campus on SKC Drive in Covington, Georgia.

Vitro to invest $70 million into glass container furnace

Mexican glass manufacturer Vitro is to invest $70 million for the construction of a glass container furnace at its plant in Toluca. Construction of the new furnace will begin this year and start its operation in the first half of 2023.

O-I ignites €30 million Seville glass manufacturing furnace

O-I Glass inaugurated a €30 million furnace at its Seville, Spain container glass manufacturing site. The investment focused on the construction of a new furnace, the optimisation of its energy efficiency and reducing its environmental footprint.

Pilkington runs furnace on hydrogen in five-day trial

Pilkington UK used a blend of hydrogen and natural gas to run its Greengate furnace in St Helens during a five-day trial. The trial found that a full furnace could be run safely on the hydrogen blend, without compromising quality or performance. Each day of the event, two tonnes of hydrogen were consumed.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Berlin Packaging to acquire O-I France SAS’s iconic Le Parfait business and brands

Berlin Packaging announced the signing of a binding commitment with O-I France SAS pursuant to which Berlin Packaging France SAS would acquire the Le Parfait business and brands, which is known for its iconic glass jars and lids.

China merges rare-earth companies into megafirm

State-owned resource company China Minmetals Corporation and nonferrous metals company China Aluminum Corporation decided to merge with the government of Ganzhou City to create a “world-class company” that will account for 70% of the country’s production quota of medium and heavy rare earths, and 40% of all rare-earths production.

Volkswagen launches research collaboration with Oak Ridge, University of Tennessee

Volkswagen Group of America’s Innovation Hub Knoxville expanded its research collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The collaboration aims to explore how to integrate break­throughs in materials science and recycling concepts to support electric mobility and sustainable transportation.

GAF Energy, Sandia National Labs research solar roofing technology

GAF Energy, a provider of roof-integrated solar solutions, is partnering with Sandia National Laboratories to test the company’s next-generation solar roofing product, which will be launched in January 2022.

OTHER STORIES

Free mini audio summit: Get the STEM Job in 2022

The free mini audio summit “Get the STEM Job in 2022” provides interviews with experts in networking, interviewing, and negotiating to help you land a job in STEM. The interviews will be available Nov. 8–12, 2021. Each recording is approximately 40 minutes.

EnerCom, Colorado School of Mines to cohost The Energy Venture Investment Summit

EnerCom, Inc., a nationally recognized management consultancy, and Colorado School of Mines, a leading public research university focused on science and engineering, will host the annual The Energy Venture Investment Summit, in-person and on campus in Golden, Colorado, on February 16–17, 2022.

L&L ships box furnace on a tight schedule for ceramic applications

L&L Special Furnace Co., Inc., delivered a high-uniformity box furnace to Soil Lab, a community-based workshop based in Chicago. The furnace was fast-track shipped in four weeks so it could be part of the 2021 Chicago Architecture Biennial program, where local community groups gain knowledge of ceramic production and various processes.

MARKET TRENDS

3D-printed houses are sprouting near Austin as demand for homes grows

The Wall Street Journal reports that Lennar Corp. and construction-technology firm Icon plan to construct a community of 100 3D-printed homes near Austin, Texas, gearing up for what would be by far the biggest development of this type of housing in the U.S.

California outlaws future sales of gas leaf blowers and lawn mowers

California’s Air Resources Board pushed state politicians to pass AB 1346, a new law banning highly polluting small engines, setting up for quieter and cleaner lawn work across the state starting in 2024.

NEW PRODUCTS

SCHOTT CERAN makes lighting features on cooktops accessible for everyone

Since SCHOTT CERAN was introduced 50 years ago, the black glass-ceramic established itself as a standard material for induction and electric cooktops in modern kitchens. For its anniversary year, SCHOTT is presenting the next generation: CERAN Luminoir.

Plibrico aids aluminum processors with new Plicast Al-Rezist high-performance refractory

The Plibrico Company introduced Plicast Al-Rezist, a line of low-cement, aluminum-resistant refractories, expressly engineered to mitigate damaging and costly corundum growth in furnaces. Plicast Al-Rezist is simple to apply and is also ideal for use in precast shapes because its rheology enables smooth crisp shape lines and corners.

​​Honeywell introduces new flow battery technology

Honeywell announced a new flow battery technology that works with renewable generation sources such as wind and solar to meet the demand for sustainable energy storage. It can store and discharge electricity for up to 12 hours, and it is designed with recyclable components and does not degrade over time.