Ceramic and glass business news of the week for April 6, 2020

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Forglass delivers customized batch plant expansion to Saint-Gobain Isover

Poland’s Forglass completed a batch plant expansion project on behalf of glass wool production specialist Saint-Gobain Isover. Forglass designed, constructed, and delivered a technology line to connect the batch plant to a new furnace.

Agr International opens Japan sales office

Agr International, a supplier of quality assurance and process automation equipment to the global packaging markets, opened a new sales office in Japan. This office will primarily focus on the needs of the growing plastic container industry but will also lend support to the glass container and filling industry within the region.

GCL System to build $2.54bn solar panel manufacturing plant

China-based solar manufacturer GCL System Integration Technology is reportedly planning to build a solar panel manufacturing plant with an investment of CNY18bn (US$2.54bn). The new facility will have the capacity to make 60GW of solar panels on an annual basis.

Total to build its largest battery energy storage project in France

Total, a global oil and gas company, is launching a battery-based energy storage project in Mardyck, France. With a storage capacity of 25 MWh and output of 25 MW of power, the new lithium-ion energy storage system will be the company’s largest in France.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

America Makes, NIH set up 3D printing exchange

America Makes and the U.S. National Institutes of Health say that people working in additive manufacturing can now upload 3D print designs to be reviewed and placed on the NIH 3D Print Exchange. Designs submitted through the America Makes design submission form will be placed in a fast track workflow for faster review.

Particle Testing Authority, Surface Measurement Systems Ltd announce strategic alliance

Particle Testing Authority (Micromeritics’ ISO17025 accredited contract testing laboratory) and Surface Measurement Systems announced a strategic alliance to enhance access to dynamic vapor sorption technology in Europe and especially Germany.

Navy, Marine Corps partner with industry, FEMA to 3D print face shields

Nine Department of Navy commands began 3D printing medical face shields at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region VIII. The Navy and Marine Corps also partnered with America Makes to integrate government and commercial manufacturing capacity into a distributing manufacturing network.

OTHER STORIES

Webinar: Resources for manufacturers in the CARES Act

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences is holding a webinar on Tuesday, April 7, at 3:30 p.m. EST to discuss the new provisions and funding assistance available through the federal government in response to COVID-19. Included in the discussion will be details on how your company can directly access these resources.

FDA oversight emerges for additive manufacturing resources in pandemic response

America Makes and the Food and Drug Administration announced they are partnering “to help ensure the additive manufacturing industry can effectively and safely meet the needs of America’s health care workers on the front lines of the Coronavirus crisis.”

Tile of Spain remains active in sales and service network to customers

Despite the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 and the restrictions set in Spain, the Spanish ceramic tile manufacturers will continue to meet their customers’ needs and the international orders dispatch times.

Cummins expands investment in fuel cell technology

Cummins Inc. is further investing in Loop Energy, a Canadian company that specializes in fuel cell technology, after the company successfully reached milestones set by Cummins. The new funds will be used to accelerate Loop Energy’s product development and growth plans in the zero-emissions powertrain sector.

Glass for Europe elects new chairman

On March 19, during the last General Assembly of Glass for Europe, Philippe Bastien, regional president of the Building & Industrial Division of AGC Glass Europe, was elected chairman of the Board of Directors of Glass for Europe.

BioSolar releases company update on its battery technology development program

BioSolar, Inc. provided an update outlining next steps for their electric vehicle battery technology development, including preparing to commence a development program for a new material processing technology to produce silicon oxide composite anode material.

Covid-19: Glass manufacturers construct bottles for hand sanitizer use

A number of container glass packagers, including O-I New Zealand, AGI Glaspac of India, and Gallo Glass (U.S.), have produced bottles filled with hand sanitizer to aid in the fight against COVID-19.

Podcast: Glass furnace tips with Stuart Hakes

Glass International released their first podcast, in which they discuss the COVID-19 crisis with FIC UK chief executive Stuart Hakes, who is also president of the Society of Glass Technology. Hakes highlights what glassmakers should be doing to look after their furnaces during this period and discusses some of the future plans of the Society.

MARKET TRENDS

China stocks rise on energy, tech sectors

China stocks settled higher on Thursday (April 2), led by energy shares as crude oil futures jumped on hopes for a deal to end the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, and by tech firms. Tech stocks also outperformed, with the CSI IT index surging 4.8%.

NEW PRODUCTS

All-electric truck mixers

The vehicle manufacturer Liebherr, in cooperation with Designwerk and ZF, developed the first fully electric truck mixers with a drum holding ten or twelve cubic metres on a five-axle chassis. Both the truck and the truck mixer body are powered jointly by the traction battery, eliminating the need for costly power electronics components.