Ceramic and glass business news of the week for August 31, 2020

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Lynas secures Kalgoorlie rare earth facility sublease

Lynas Corporation signed a sublease with the City of Kalgoorlie Boulder for a 135-hectare area where its rare earth processing facility in Western Australia will be constructed. Lynas is seeking regulatory approval to initiate preliminary works later this year, with construction scheduled for 2021.

Saskatchewan to create Canada’s first rare earth processing facility at SRC

The Government of Saskatchewan announced $31 million in funding for a rare earth processing facility in Saskatchewan, delivering on a key element of the 2030 Growth Plan. The facility will be owned and operated by the Saskatchewan Research Council, and it will be the first-of-its-kind in Canada.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

TricorBraun to acquire Price Container and Packaging

Packaging designer and distributor TricorBraun entered into an agreement to acquire Price Container and Packaging, a rigid packaging distributor serving primarily the industrial and food markets. The transaction is expected to close in September 2020.

Centrotec becomes largest shareholder of Sonnenstromfabrik

Centrotec, a German energy efficiency specialist, acquired Switzerland’s Pari Group, which holds an 80% stake in German PV module manufacturer Sonnenstromfabrik. Centrotec’s last contact with the PV sector dates back to 2012, when the company sold its shares in German solar developer Centrosolar AG, marking its withdrawal from the industry.

OTHER STORIES

APS summer webinar series for graduate students and early-career scientists

As part of the American Physical Society’s response to COVID-19, the Society is offering a free Summer Webinar Series to provide students and early-career scientists with an opportunity to learn skills that can help them achieve their career goals. Summaries of upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars are available at this link.

ACI opens annual request for concrete research proposals

The American Concrete Institute’s concrete research council is accepting proposals for concrete research projects until December 1. Topics are encouraged from all areas of concrete research, and up to $50,000 may be approved per project for direct costs.

A Chinese coal miner is getting into solar production

Mid-tier Chinese coal miner Shanxi Coal International Energy Group is planning a significant investment in the competing business of making high-tech solar power cells. The state-owned firm will lead a joint venture to build a 3-gigawatt solar manufacturing plant for 3.19 billion yuan ($461 million).

Energy Department picks national labs for industry partnerships on battery innovation

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of 13 projects through a Battery Manufacturing Lab Call with combined funding of almost $15 million over three years. The call sought proposals from national laboratories to establish public-private partnerships that address engineering challenges for advanced battery materials and devices.

Rolls-Royce unveils new arm for next-gen energy technologies

Rolls-Royce set up a new organizational unit called “Power Lab” to focus on innovative and net-zero carbon drive and energy solutions. The new arm will concentrate on the development of cutting-edge technologies for the marine and infrastructure sectors, with a strong emphasis on fuel cell systems and the production and deployment of synthetic fuels.

MARKET TRENDS

China’s flooding slams rare earth, fertilizer, and other industries

Weeks of flooding along the Yangtze River has crippled commodity production in China, weighing on an economy that was shaking off the coronavirus downturn. Authorities have not revealed total economic losses caused by the deluge of rain since June, but several companies whose production plants were submerged ceased operations.

FY21 NDAA: Dual-use technology proposals

The House and Senate approved their separate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act at the end of July. A recent FYI article overviews proposals relating to specific dual-use technologies, such as microelectronics, advanced telecommunications equipment, and nuclear reactors.

Materials informatics: Choosing a successful strategic approach

Materials informatics involves using data-centric approaches for materials science research and development. A recent IDTechEx report provides details of companies involved in materials informatics and their partnerships through a series of primary interviews.

NEW PRODUCTS

Recycled glass-fiber polyamides for the automotive industry

LANXESS, a global supplier of specialty chemicals and polymer materials, developed a range of recycled glass-fiber polyamides suitable for manufacturing of automotive components. The three new glass-fiber polyamides incorporate 30 wt%, 35 wt%, and 60 wt%, respectively, of reinforcing glass fibers sourced from post-industrial recycling.