Ceramic and glass business news of the week for August 14, 2023

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Cemex and Synhelion make progress on world’s first fully solar-powered cement plant

Cemex and Synhelion announced a significant milestone in their joint effort to develop fully solar-driven cement production: the scaling of their technology to industrially viable levels. This scaling includes the continuous production of clinker, the most energy-intensive part of cement manufacturing, using only solar heat.

Kyocera to construct new development center at Shiga Yasu Campus in Japan

Kyocera Corporation announced plans to build a new development center at its Shiga Yasu Campus in Japan, where the company will consolidate production engineering and development functions.

Chinese firm begins construction of solid-state battery facility with 10 Gwh annual capacity

Jiangxi Judian New Energy Technology Co Ltd started work on a 10 GWh annual capacity solid-state lithium battery project in Ganzhou, Jiangxi. The project will be divided into two phases, with the first phase having an annual capacity of 2 GWh of solid-state battery cells and 2 GWh of pack systems.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Kandil makes Egyptian glass acquisition

Egypt’s Kandil Glass acquired compatriot Cleopatra Glass Factory and expanded its capacity. It signed an acquisition agreement with tableware manufacturer Cleopatra Glass Factory to increase daily production from 410 to 490 tons/day.

Japan signs deal with Namibia to explore for rare earth minerals

Japan signed an agreement with Namibia to jointly explore for rare earth minerals as part of its broader plan to develop supply chains for cobalt and other minerals used in making electric vehicle batteries.

USA Rare Earth announces strategic partnership with Hatch

USA Rare Earth, a vertically integrated magnet technology company, entered into a strategic partnership with Hatch, a global engineering, project management, and professional services firm with expertise in mineral extraction and processing.

NIT Jamshedpur and CGCRI join hands for research and innovation

The National Institute of Technology in Jamshedpur and the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute in Kolkata have mutually agreed to share their expertise and resources to explore the vast possibilities in the field of research and development.

OTHER STORIES

Ardagh launches ‘money4glass’ initiative in South Africa

Ardagh Glass Packaging launched its “money4glass” initiative in South Africa to drive growth in glass recycling. The initiative is based on the BanQu platform, which will help AGP track and monitor cullet trades for its production facilities, plus allow recyclers to receive faster and safer payments.

Siemens Energy sees $5 billion hit as wind losses in Spain widen

Siemens Energy AG is scrutinizing its wind business for a strategic reset after heavy costs related to ongoing problems with turbines roughly quadrupled the company’s expected annual loss to $5 billion. In June, the German manufacturer revealed deepening issues in its Spanish wind business, triggering a record share slump.

The CHIPS and Science Act: A game-changer in its first year

Happy one year anniversary to the CHIPS and Science Act! The Department of Energy published an article describing several ways the act has changed the game in its first year, including supercharging the semiconductor industry.

MARKET TRENDS

Interest in small nuclear power is rising—here’s why

Nuclear reactors are getting smaller, cheaper, and easier to make. These factors are inspiring more companies large and small to angle for a piece of the market.

New Zealand concrete industry sets emissions reduction target

New Zealand’s concrete industry wants to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 44% by 2030 as part of a roadmap toward becoming net zero carbon by the middle of the century. The target, which is a reduction from 2020 levels, comprises curbing direct emissions from the chemical reaction when making cement and altering the fuel burned in the process.

NEW PRODUCTS

Lafarge Jordan introduces environmentally friendly cement product Shamel

Cement company Lafarge Jordan unveiled its latest eco-friendly cement product, Shamel, in a significant step toward sustainable practices. Shamel effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an impressive 16% compared to conventional cement products.

Coherent: AM tech to produce advanced ceramic components for thermal management

Coherent Corp. announced it has developed an additive manufacturing process capable of producing advanced ceramic components for high-performance thermal management applications, including for next-generation semiconductor capital equipment.

Vitro Architectural Glass publishes new glass catalog

Vitro Architectural Glass published its new glass catalog, which includes product details, performance data, and project photography. New Vitro products added to this catalog include VacuMax Vacuum Insulating Glass and Solarvolt Building Integrated Photovoltaic Glass System.