Ceramic and glass business news of the week for July 24, 2023

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

IFGL Refractories receives approval for setting up a new manufacturing facility in Orissa

IFGL Refractories received approval from the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corp. of Odisha Ltd to set up a new manufacturing facility for continuous casting refractories with an installed capacity of 240,000 pieces per annum. The expected start date for construction is October 2023, and the commercial production target is March 2025.

UBE to expand silicon nitride plant

UBE Corp. announced plans to expand the silicon nitride production facility at its Ube Chemical Factory to meet rapidly growing demand mainly for bearings and substrates for electric vehicles. The facility is scheduled to go online in the second half of fiscal 2025. The production capacity will be about 1.5 times from the current level.

SCHOTT conducts successful laboratory tests with 100% hydrogen

SCHOTT succeeded in producing a test melt with 100% hydrogen in the laboratory. The specialty glass experts had already started the first industrial-scale tests with the participation of local partners late in 2022. In these tests, 35% hydrogen was added to a melting tank.

Ardagh Glass Packaging’s Houston facility awarded ENERGY STAR plant certification

Ardagh Glass Packaging North America was awarded an ENERGY STAR plant certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its glassmaking facility in Houston, Texas. Eleven Ardagh facilities have received 51 ENERGY STAR plant and building certifications since 2010.

Six research centers will lead innovation toward a fully sustainable energy sector

U.K. Research and Innovation awarded £53 million to six research centers for projects that will drive the change in energy systems to help meet the U.K.’s net-zero target by 2050.

Vulcan Materials uses new tech for direct air capture of CO₂

In February 2023, Central Concrete, a subsidiary of Vulcan Materials Company, and carbon-removal firms Heirloom Carbon and CarbonCure achieved an industry first: permanently trapping carbon dioxide from direct air capture in concrete using reclaimed-water technology.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

BA Glass to acquire Mexican manufacturer

BA Glass is set to acquire a majority stake in Mexican container glass manufacturer Vidrio Formas. The Portuguese glass producer said its presence into a new continent will open opportunities. The transaction is expected to be closed before the end of the year.

Commerce partners to pilot unique twist on industry-led economic development strategy

Can small rural communities successfully mobilize public–private coalitions in target industries to create innovation clusters that will drive economic growth and jobs for the future? The Washington state Department of Commerce aims to find out with a new version of its Innovation Cluster Accelerator Program.

O-I Glass and FX Matt Beverage Company announce partnership

O-I Glass, Inc. and FX Matt Beverage Company announced a new partnership that introduces glass packaging innovation and accelerates the speed to market for O-I’s Drinktainer. This container features a wide-mouth opening so as to close the gap on the optimal drinking experience when enjoying a beverage from glassware.

Halio partners with Glassbel to expand smart glass offerings in Europe and Middle East

Halio partnered with Glassbel, a European-based architectural and interior glass manufacturer, to leverage Glassbel’s experience and network to expand the availability of Halio’s smart glass products in Europe and the Middle East.

RHI Magnesita takes another leap toward net-zero emissions with new partnership

RHI Magnesita partnered with Compact Membrane Systems to launch a new carbon capture pilot project. Following an intensive research and testing phase in 2022, RHI Magnesita will implement CMS’ Optiperm Carbon membrane technology in a field rig designed to capture process waste gases from one of its furnaces.

Japan steps up energy diplomacy with Middle East tour in push for ‘stable’ ties

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to the Middle East is expected to strengthen hydrocarbon and decarbonization between Japan and the region, and to help secure stable energy supplies for Tokyo in a bid to differentiate itself from other powers, including China.

OTHER STORIES

America Makes announces project call to advance sustainable additive manufacturing

America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining announced a project call that consists of two distinct documents. The first document comprises a diverse range of topic areas and offers a total of $1.2 million in funding. The second document focuses on development and demonstration of sustainable practices and products in additive manufacturing and offers $5.2 million in funding.

ACI Foundation announces new concrete durability scholarship

The American Concrete Institute Foundation announced the new ACI 201 Concrete Durability Scholarship funded by University of Washington Professor Emeritus Donald J. Janssen. The scholarship will go to an undergraduate who is in a degree program that focuses on concrete materials, design, or education, with an emphasis on durability.

New prize to propel wind turbine materials recycling

The Wind Energy Technologies Office launched the Wind Turbine Materials Recycling Prize, a $5.1 million competition that is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The prize aims to support development of a cost-effective and sustainable recycling industry for fiber-reinforced composites and rare earth elements.

NSF seeks input to develop investment roadmap for its new TIP Directorate

The U.S. National Science Foundation issued a request for information to gather insights for the development of an investment roadmap for its Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, in accordance with the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Respond to the request by July 27, 2023.

MARKET TRENDS

Renewable energy surge puts global power system on track for IEA’s net-zero pathway

Research by RMI, in partnership with Bezos Earth Fund, predicts that solar and wind will supply over a third of all power by 2030. Complementary research from Systems Change Lab shows eight countries already grew solar and wind generation faster than what is needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Argonne to use JD Power data sets to better understand EV market and infrastructure

Through a new collaboration, Argonne National Laboratory researchers will use the EV Index by J.D. Power, a company focused on data analytics and consumer insights, to access new electric vehicle data sets. These data sets will enable insights into the growing EV market and an understanding of consumers’ experience with EV charging infrastructure.

NEW PRODUCTS

Corning’s Viridian Vials reduce waste and carbon emissions in pharmaceutical supply chain

Corning Inc. launched Viridian Vials, the latest innovation in its expanding pharmaceutical glass-packaging portfolio. The new technology can improve filling-line efficiency by up to 50% while reducing vial-manufacturing carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions by up to 30%.

Hive3D Builders develops carbon-neutral alternative to cement

Working in collaboration with Eco Materials and Green Cement, 3D-printing construction company Hive3D Builders developed a low-cost geopolymer cement replacement with up to 93% lower CO₂ emissions than traditional cement.

Gres Aragón collaborates with Harvard on new ceramic system for cooling indoor spaces

Ceramic tile manufacturer Gres Aragón-Faveker collaborated with researchers from Harvard University to develop a new system that uses ceramic tiles with a special coating to cool indoor spaces through water evaporation. The system is being combined with additional innovations that pre-treat and dehumidify the input air.

Fervo Energy announces technology breakthrough in next-generation geothermal

Fervo Energy announced that it successfully completed the well test at its full-scale commercial pilot, Project Red, in northern Nevada. The successful well test confirms the commercial viability of Fervo’s drilling technology and establishes Project Red as the most productive enhanced geothermal system in history.