Ceramic and glass business news of the week for August 7, 2023

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

First Solar plans fifth US manufacturing plant to meet increasing demand

U.S. solar technology firm First Solar announced plans to build a fifth manufacturing facility in the United States to increase production of the Series 7 solar module. First Solar will invest up to $1.1 billion in the expansion project, increasing manufacturing capacity by 3.5 GW to reach 14 GW in the U.S. by 2026.

Jordan approves construction of semiconductor and ceramic plants

The government of Jordan approved proposed plans to build a semiconductor plant for solar power energy and another factory for the production of ceramics. Jordan’s Philadelphia Solar Company will build the $100 million semiconductor plant. A Chinese firm will invest around $65 million to set up the ceramic plant.

Germany-based Duravit AG plans Canadian ceramic production facility

Germany-based Duravit AG, a manufacturer of porcelain bathroom fittings, plans to establish the world’s first climate-neutral ceramic production facility in Matane, Québec, Canada. Operations are scheduled for early 2025.

Six nuclear reactors approved for construction in China

China’s State Council approved the construction of six nuclear power units: units 5 and 6 of the Ningde plant in Fujian Province; units 1 and 2 of the Shidaowan plant in Shandong Province; and units 1 and 2 of the Xudabao plant in Liaoning Province.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Adani Group’s Ambuja Cements announces acquisition of Sanghi Industries

Ambuja Cements, Adani Group’s cement and building material arm, announced the acquisition of Sanghi Industries at an enterprise value of Rs 5,000 crore. This acquisition will be completely funded through internal accruals.

Active Minerals and Superior Materials join forces to deliver attapulgite clays to eastern US

Active Minerals International announced a distribution partnership with Superior Materials, Inc. Superior Materials will represent Active Minerals’ quality Acti-Gel and Min-U-Gel attapulgite products for adhesives, coatings, construction, sealants, and elastomers in a territory spanning the states east of the Mississippi River, excluding Florida.

Mongolia to deepen cooperation with US on rare earths

Mongolia will deepen cooperation with the United States to mine rare earths, the country’s prime minister said on a visit to Washington, D.C. Mongolia has extensive deposits of rare earths and copper.

OTHER STORIES

SCHOTT Pharma strengthens leading position in the first year as stand-alone company

SCHOTT Pharma is celebrating its first anniversary as a legally stand-alone company in the field of pharma drug containment solutions and delivery systems. SCHOTT Pharma is represented in all major pharma hubs with 16 state-of-the-art production sites in Europe, North and Latin America, as well as Asia.

Glass fluid filtration company Trucent appoints Global Key Account Manager

Trucent Industrial Solutions, a prominent global player in glass and brittle materials fluid separation, announced the appointment of Michael Ondrus as their Global Key Account Manager – Brittle Materials.

Nokia will manufacture broadband network electronics products for BEAD program

Nokia is the first telecom company to announce the manufacturing of fiber-optic broadband network electronics products and optical modules in the U.S. for use in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

‘Cleanup to Clean Energy’ initiative explores generating clean energy on DOE-owned lands

The U.S. Department of Energy kicked off its “Cleanup to Clean Energy” initiative, which aims to repurpose parts of DOE-owned lands—portions of which were previously used in the nation’s nuclear weapons program—into the sites of clean-energy generation.

MARKET TRENDS

‘Vicious cycle’: Heat waves ramp up global burning of fossil fuels

The U.S. is setting records for natural gas consumption at the power plants that keep the nation’s air conditioners humming, according to estimates from S&P Global Commodity Insights. In China, power plants are burning more coal to keep up with electricity needs, helping to feed a record pace in demand for fossil fuels, according to the International Energy Agency.