Ceramic and glass business news of the week for January 8, 2024

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Ucore acquires Louisiana facility for rare earth element processing plant

Ucore Rare Metals Inc. acquired an 80,800-square-foot brownfield facility on a 10.7+ acre industrial parcel for the development of its first commercial rare earth element processing facility in Alexandria, La.

Kentucky’s largest utility testing wind energy potential with state’s first utility-scale turbine

Kentucky’s largest utility built what it says is the state’s first utility-scale wind turbine. The turbine, which Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities constructed at the end of last year with its parent company PPL Corporation, stands at 165 feet on the site of the utility’s E.W. Brown Generating Station in Mercer County.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Energy Fuels to secure Australian source of rare earth minerals for US supply chain

Energy Fuels Inc., a U.S. producer of uranium, rare earth elements, and vanadium, entered into a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with Astron Corporation Limited to jointly develop the Donald Rare Earth and Mineral Sands Project, located in the Wimmera Region of the State of Victoria, Australia.

TPI and Nordex extend and expand contract in Türkiye

TPI Composites, Inc. extended and expanded its supply agreements with Nordex in Türkiye. TPI will add two lines of manufacturing capacity for wind blades, bringing the total capacity to eight lines serving domestic and export market needs.

Samsung partners with Hyundai Motor Group to integrate smart home with connected cars

Samsung Electronics is collaborating with Hyundai Motor Group to expand its SmartThings platform to support connected cars, including electric vehicles. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding on January 3 to develop solutions for future lifestyles that fully integrate the smart home and connected cars.

OTHER STORIES

American Carbon Society Thermal Management Conference: March 18–19, 2024

The American Carbon Society is organizing a two-day symposium and workshop on thermal management. Topics will include materials for thermal insulation, high thermal conductivity, fire/heat barriers and seals, and thermal analysis. The conference will take place March 18–19, 2024, at North Carolina State University Centennial Campus.

Japan crash marks test of how new carbon jets cope in a disaster

A runway collision in Japan marks the first time a modern lightweight airliner has burnt down and is being seen as a test case for how well a new generation of carbon-composite airplanes copes with a catastrophic fire.

IAEA scientists embark on Antarctic mission to research microplastic impact

The International Atomic Energy Agency, in cooperation with Argentina, launched its first scientific research expedition today to investigate the presence of microplastics in Antarctica as part of efforts to combat this growing environmental problem.

MARKET TRENDS

Fewer EVs will qualify for tax credits in 2024

The U.S. government’s decision to crack down on battery components sourced from China has led to significant restrictions on which electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids qualify for the desired tax credit of up to $7,500.

German gas storage operators warn of overblown plans for hydrogen grids

Germany’s future hydrogen demand could fall well short of the baseline the country is assuming in its plans to extend its gas network to carry the fuel, according to a recent study commissioned by a storage operators’ group.

Can Kenya become a direct-air-capture hub?

Octavia Carbon, a Kenya-based start-up, wants to become the first company to deploy direct-air-capture technology outside of the U.S. and Europe. A C&EN article describes their progress toward this goal.

NEW PRODUCTS

Sunrise New Energy receives approval for two patents for sodium-ion anode materials

China-based Sunrise New Energy Co., Ltd. announced that its subsidiary, Sunrise New Energy Materials Co., Ltd., received preliminary approval from the National Intellectual Property Office for two patents related to anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.

ROSS 1,500-gal dual-shaft mixer

The ROSS FDA-1500 dual-shaft mixer has a maximum working capacity of 1,500 gallons and features a dish-bottom stainless steel mix vessel with a 50-psig dimpled heating/cooling jacket. The dome-style cover includes multiple charging ports as well as a hinged manway providing access for major ingredient additions and cleaning.