Ceramic and glass business news of the week for July 4, 2022

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Maersk’s first train from ceramics heartland Morbi reach APM Pipavav

APM Terminals Pipavav recently received the new rail service started by Maersk and operated by Pipavav Rail Corporation Limited that connects the exporters from the ceramics heartland of Morbi via Private Freight Terminal at Maliya.

Officials celebrate opening of mine that converts ash into cement in Yavapai County

Eco Material Technologies’ Kirkland Pozzolan Mine had its grand opening in Skull Valley. The site will convert ash into concrete for Arizona’s bridges, roads, and other transportation projects.

Sika expands production of concrete admixtures in the US

Sika is bringing a new manufacturing plant for concrete admixtures on stream in Stafford, Virginia. The new facility in Stafford is the second-biggest manufacturing plant for Sika concrete admixtures in the U.S.

The first underground warren for disposing of spent nuclear fuel

Within a few years, the Onkalo spent nuclear fuel repository should be a resting place for batches of waste from Finland’s two nuclear power stations to be sealed off permanently from the world. Finland stands, for now, as the only country to have built a complete deep geological storage facility.

Vivix to construct Brazil’s largest glass manufacturing furnace

Brazilian flat glass manufacturer Vivix plans to build a BRZ1.3 billion (US$248.1 million) production factory. The site in Goiana, Brazil, will be constructed next to its current glass manufacturing facility and will be fully operational in the second half of 2025 with a capacity of 1,000 t/day, making it the largest in operation in Brazil.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Italmatch Chemicals acquires Aubin Group

Italmatch Chemicals, a global specialty chemical group focused on production and marketing of performance additives for the processing and treatment of water, oil & gas, industrial lubricants, and plastics, acquired Aubin Group from BGF. Aubin is a developer and supplier of innovative chemical solutions.

FEV and ProLogium sign MOU for the development of solid-state battery systems

FEV and ProLogium Technology signed an MOU to cooperate in the development of solid-state battery systems. Under the MOU, the companies will focus their joint efforts on battery system development for customers, sales activities, and cell/module verification based on ProLogium’s solid-state battery technology.

Vitro Glass announces partnership with VueReal

Vitro Glass announced a partnership with VueReal, a leader in microprinting technology. The venture is meant to advance the interactivity and functionality of glass.

GE and DOE partner on solar, energy storage, grid integration research

GE is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy on two projects: one to design behind-the-meter energy storage and another to enhance utility visibility of behind-the-meter solar generation.

Rare earth giant’s new international trade unit eyes deeper industry integration

The newly established rare earth giant China Rare Earth Group Co. established an international trade company to accelerate the deep integration of trade assets within the group in a bid to promote industrial coordination and business efficiency.

OTHER STORIES

SATINAL: first third-party production of chemically tempered glass for nautical sector

SATINAL, an innovation-driven Italian company operating worldwide to deliver advanced solutions for safety glass manufacture, launched the first third-party production of chemically tempered glass for the nautical sector.

Dalmia Bharat Refractories to export to new markets

Dalmia Bharat Refractories plans to launch its cement refractory products in new export markets. Chemical Industry Digest reported that the company aims to achieve a turnover of $191 million in the 2023 financial year, and to launch a 3–4 year $38.1 capital expenditure investment package.

HZG Group raises €60 to support early-stage 3D printing start-ups

HZG Group raised €60 million for its HZG Additive Manufacturing Tech Fund, which will support early-stage start-ups across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Investments will focus on all areas of additive manufacturing and related industrial fields, encompassing machines, processes, applications, and services.

AMGTA reports new technology for safely transporting metal 3D printing waste

The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association issued a report outlining a new method of passivating metal powder condensate waste from the 3D printing process. The powder waste is added to a resin material to create a nonhazardous mixture, which allows the waste to be safely transported to recycling plants for reclamation and reuse.

Scotch whisky brand switches to glass bottles

Scotch whisky brand Royal Salute is to switch to sustainable glass bottles. The blended whisky brand’s porcelain flagon—which has been used since its inception in 1963—was exchanged for a recyclable glass bottle.

NOAA strategic plan prioritizes climate services and equity

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a draft five-year strategic plan last week that is organized around three main goals: building a “climate-ready nation,” accelerating the growth of an information-based “blue economy,” and embedding equity considerations across the agency’s programs.

DOE seeks members for industrial technology advisory panel

The Department of Energy is soliciting nominations for its Industrial Technology Innovation Advisory Committee, which it recently established to guide a new program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial sector. Nominations are due August 1.

MARKET TRENDS

Disrupting an established e-waste value chain

The Hindu Business Line reports on how producer responsibility organizations and dismantlers find themselves bypassed in the draft E-waste Management Rules 2022.

New highway cement standards to reduce 4,000 tons of carbon emissions annually

The Nevada Department of Transportation anticipates reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 4,000 tons per year, equivalent to approximately 870 fewer cars on the road, through use of Portland limestone cement in highway paving projects.

Global chip hub Taiwan to raise power rates on pricey fuel

Taiwan’s industrial sector, including the world’s largest contract chipmaker, will be hit with the island’s first power price increase in four years as the state-owned utility grapples with soaring fuel costs.

Japan’s biggest chipmakers from Toshiba to Sony brace for engineer shortage

Japan’s biggest semiconductor makers from Toshiba to Sony are warning that the government’s push to revive its domestic chip industry is being threatened by a shortage of engineers.

NEW PRODUCTS

Saint-Gobain Glass unveils its new product MIRASTAR REFLECT

Saint-Gobain is launching internationally a new highly reflective glass, MIRASTAR REFLECT. This new product is characterized by a high level of opacity and reflection, with only 0.1% light transmission and 55% light reflection. It is best suited for mirrored wall-fixed applications, and it shows great durability even in high humidity environments.

Nippon Electric Glass develops substrate for 5G wireless communication

Nippon Electric Glass developed a transparent antenna, made of a glass substrate, and a repeater, which uses radio wave lenses and does not require power supply, for 5G millimeter-wave wireless communication technology.

Gerdau Graphene unveils anti-abrasive graphene-enhanced architectural paint

Gerdau Graphene created a water-based graphene-enhanced architectural paint that is more durable and resistant to abrasion than traditional paints. Its parent company, Gerdau, reportedly applied the new paint to its factory floors in March, making it the world’s first large-scale use of a water-based graphene-enhanced architectural paint.

Bosch develops first 3D-printed ceramic microreactor

Together with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the chemicals company BASF, Bosch produced the first-ever 3D-printed microreactor made of technical ceramics. Microreactors are devices for housing chemical reactions.