Ceramic and glass business news of the week for September 11, 2023

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Corning to establish Indian Gorilla Glass production facility

Speciality glassmaker Corning Inc. proposed to establish a Gorilla Glass manufacturing facility in Telangana, India. The Rs. 934 Crore commitment by Corning and its partners represents a strategic move that aims to catalyze the smartphone manufacturing ecosystem in both Telangana and across India.

Battery parts maker Entek breaks ground on $1.5b manufacturing campus in Indiana

Oregon-based battery parts producer Entek broke ground last week on a $1.5 billion manufacturing campus in western Indiana that officials said will create more than 640 jobs and give a boost to Indiana’s growing electric vehicle industry. Entek, based in Lebanon, Oregon, makes battery separators for lithium-ion battery manufacturers.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Orora to pay US$1.39 billion for Saverglass

Australian glass manufacturer Orora will pay US$1.39 billion for its acquisition of French high end glassmaker Saverglass. Saverglass was purchased by private equity group Carlyle in 2016 and manufactures premium glassware, including for luxury spirits and wine makers like Grey Goose, Hennessy, and Rhum Clement.

US and Vietnam ink historic partnership in Biden visit

U.S. President Joe Biden secured deals with Vietnam on semiconductors and minerals as the strategic Southeast Asian nation lifted Washington to Hanoi’s highest diplomatic status alongside China and Russia.

Imerys and British Lithium announce partnership to develop UK’s largest lithium deposit

Mineral-based specialty solutions manufacturer Imerys and British Lithium, a private company that developed a processing route to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from Cornish granite, formed a joint venture with the objective of creating the United Kingdom’s first integrated producer of battery-grade lithium carbonate.

NSG joins group to increase sustainable glass supply chains

NSG Group is the first glass manufacturer to join the League of Champions group within the Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP). SPP is a not-for-profit organization that aims to accelerate the drive toward sustainable supply chains across industries and geographies.

Hayleys and Moratuwa Uni partner to upcycle industrial waste into construction material

Hayleys Fabric PLC, Sri Lanka’s largest integrated textile manufacturer, announced a collaboration with Pro Green Laboratory of the University of Moratuwa to upcycle industrial waste and convert it into sustainable, environmentally friendly construction materials.

Graphmatech and Khalifa University sign MoU on graphene engineering and manufacturing

Graphmatech and Khalifa University of Science and Technology’s Research and Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials announced a memorandum of understanding that establishes a strategic framework for cooperation in advanced graphene-engineered materials and manufacturing processes.

OTHER STORIES

BIA announces 2023 Brick in Architecture Awards call for entries

The Brick Industry Association opened entries for the international 2023 Brick in Architecture Awards, featuring a new category for thin brick projects as of last year. Entries are due by November 3.

Glassmaker Zignago Vetro unites brands under one banner

Italian glassmaker Zignago Vetro plans to unite its brand names under one banner. Specifically, its Zignago Glass USA and Zignago Vetro Brosse brands will be brought closer to the original brand to make the fact that they belong to Zignago Vetro clear.

WSP bets on 3D-printed concrete for infrastructure projects

Canadian consulting firm WSP thinks the construction industry of the future will use a lot more 3D-printed concrete, and the company is researching new applications for it, including infrastructure and clean energy projects.

Farmers worried as miner ABx Group seeks to expand Tasmanian exploration permits

The land area covered by exploration licenses in Tasmania has almost doubled in the past two-and-a-half years, and there are concerns about the potential impact on farmland and the environment.

MARKET TRENDS

IRENA: global solar LCOE fell 3% between 2021 and 2022

The International Renewable Energy Agency published a report on the cost of producing power in 2022. The agency found that the levelized cost of electricity in the solar photovoltaic sector fell by 3% in 2022, and 89% between 2010 and 2022.

Zinc batteries that offer an alternative to lithium just got a big boost

Battery maker Eos Energy, which makes zinc-halide batteries, received a nearly $400 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy to further develop its technology. The loan is the first “conditional commitment” from the DOE’s Loan Program Office to a battery maker focused on alternatives to lithium-ion cells.