Ceramic and glass business news of the week for November 15, 2021

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Şişecam plans €84 million Turkish glass manufacturing investment

Şişecam plans to invest in a furnace with a 155,000-ton annual capacity at its Eskişehir glass packaging production facility in Turkey. The investment is in response to the growing potential of glass packaging from the rapidly expanding demand for hygienic solutions across the world.

Industry-first virtual trials to begin on lightweighting glass bottles

Dassault Systèmes, Ardagh Group, and EXXERGY are will begin collaborating on “virtual twin” trials using Diageo’s iconic Johnnie Walker bottle in January 2022 to research and develop a coating that will enable the glass bottle to be lightweighted without compromising its strength and shape.

Titan America’s Pennsuco plant to achieve 100% Portland limestone cement production

Titan America says that 100% of its cement production at the Pennsuco cement plant in Medley, Florida, will be lower-carbon Portland limestone cement by “as early as 2023.” The cement, called Type IL, has 15% reduced CO₂ emissions compared to ordinary Portland cement, according to the company.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Pioneer assets extend Concrete Pumping’s Georgia, Texas coverage

Concrete Pumping Holdings closed on Pioneer Concrete Pumping Service Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia, with additional Dallas and San Antonio, Texas locations. The $20 million transaction includes 83 operating equipment units.

Hydrofuel acquires patented hydrogen ammonia fuel release, energy station tech

Hydrofuel Canada Inc. reached an agreement to acquire 100% of Kontak Hydrogen Storage LLC in an all stock transaction. Kontak’s technology can efficiently release hydrogen from a dozen potential carrier molecules identified so far.

Baker Hughes invests in Ekona Power to accelerate delivery of lower-carbon hydrogen

Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, announced an investment in Ekona Power Inc., a growth stage company developing novel turquoise hydrogen production technology. The investment will enhance Baker Hughes’ broader hydrogen and natural gas decarbonization solutions portfolio, further contributing to the energy transition.

Kanthal signs licensing agreement regarding MW-scale gas heating solution

Kanthal signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Nycast, a Swedish company that develops electric process gas heating solutions. Under the agreement, Kanthal has exclusive rights to use Nycast’s technology for heating large amounts of process gas at high pressure up to 1,100°C (2,012°F).

Arburg creates new company for all its additive manufacturing activities

Arburg combined all its additive manufacturing activities under one roof by establishing a new subsidiary, Arburgadditive GmbH + Co KG, which is also based in Lossburg. Victor Roman will serve as managing director and is set to join the company on December 1.

3D concrete contractor Alquist partners with Black Buffalo 3D

Alquist, known for their 3D printed home projects and the first fully permitted 3D printed home in Virginia, signed a partnership with 3D construction manufacturer Black Buffalo 3D to gain the ability to print four-story concrete houses.

OTHER STORIES

Webinar: Design and manufacture of solid-state batteries towards low cost

The Electrochemical Society, Hiden Analytical, Royal Society of Chemistry, Instron, and Metrohm Autolab are sponsoring a webinar on solid-states batteries, material choices, and design. The webinar takes place December 1 at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Workshop: The state of anti-Black racism in U.S. science, engineering, and medicine

Join the Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine for a virtual public workshop that will review their work on the state of anti-Black racism in U.S. science, engineering, and medicine. The workshop takes place December 6 and 7.

New report confirms Lithoz as global market leader in ceramic 3D printing

In the latest report issued by 3dpbm Research, Lithoz again confirmed their global number one position in ceramic 3D printing for 2020. In detail, this 2020 top position was achieved in terms of revenue generated as well as in the number of single system units sold.

BIA appoints new board chair

The Brick Industry Association’s Board of Directors has elected its officers for two-year terms starting January 1. Joe Rice, CEO of Belden Tri-State Building Materials, was elected as the board’s chair. A longtime active BIA member, Rice brings more than 38 years of clay brick industry experience and has held past leadership positions.

UltraTech Cement commits to carbon neutral cement and concrete by 2050

UltraTech Cement committed to the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s 2050 roadmap for net zero concrete. The roadmap also includes a sectoral commitment to cut CO₂ emissions by a further 25% by 2030.

MARKET TRENDS

Greenland bans uranium mining, halting rare earths project

Greenland’s parliament passed legislation that will ban uranium mining and cease development of the Kuannersuit mine, one of the biggest rare earth deposits in the world. The law was put forward by the Inuit Ataqatigiit party that came to power in April after campaigning to ban uranium mining and halt the Kuannersuit project.

What’s harder to find than microchips? The equipment that makes them

The Wall Street Journal reports on how the lack of secondhand equipment for making microchips is one reason the chip shortage has become so acute.

Melbourne’s buildings could be close to self-sustaining through fully integrated solar

New modeling, on a scale ranging from individual structures to neighborhoods and an entire city, showed buildings in the city of Melbourne, Australia, could provide 74% of their own electricity needs if solar technology is fully integrated into roofs, walls, and windows.

Builders reeling from painful window shortage

Nearly two-thirds of homebuilders cite windows as their biggest material shortage in a recent national survey conducted by analysts at John Burns Real Estate Consulting. Lumber, engineered wood products, and concrete round at the top four, the survey shows, but none exceeded 20%.

NEW PRODUCTS

Zircar Ceramics: RNKO-HD high-strength alumina-silica board

ZIRCAR Ceramics’ RNKO-HD Alumina-Silica board is a strong, low-density combination of 1,260°C-rated alumina-silica fibers and a stabilized inorganic amorphous silica binder. RNKO-HD was developed for applications where a combination of low thermal conductivity and the ability to withstand high compressive loads at high temperatures are required.

Southworth: Custom, configured elevating worker platforms

For assembly or maintenance of large, tall and/or oddly shaped structures, or anything that requires workers to perform tasks while above floor level, Southworth offers custom, configured elevating worker platforms. Typically built on one or more scissor lift bases, workers can easily adjust the height of the platform via a simple push button control.