Ceramic and glass business news of the week for January 24, 2022

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Intel reveals plans for massive new Ohio factory, fighting the chip shortage stateside

​​As part of an effort to regain its position as a leading maker of semiconductors amidst a global chip shortage, Intel is committing $20 billion to build a manufacturing mega-site in New Albany, on the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio.

GM plans electric motor components production in Western New York

General Motors announced a nearly $154 million investment in its Western New York Lockport Components plant to handle electric motor components production. Specifically, the plant will produce the electric motor stator module for Ultium platform-based electric truck and SUV products.

HarbisonWalker International to refurbish Alabama facility into steel hub

Pittsburgh-based HarbisonWalker International, a supplier of refractory products and services, recently announced it will invest approximately $25 million in its closed Fairfield, Ala., plant to convert it into a manufacturing, service, and distribution hub for steel customers in the southern United States.

Scottish renewable auction plans 15 GW of floating wind leases

The Crown Estate for Scotland announced the successful bids for its first renewable leasing round in 10 years. In total, the auction allocated 14.5 GW of floating wind leases and 9.8 GW of fixed-based wind leases, as well as a 0.5 GW mixed development.

China Glass takes ownership of Kazakhstan float glass facility

China Glass Holdings has taken ownership of the Orda float glass manufacturing facility in Kazakhstan. The facility aims to be the most modern industrial float glass facility in the world using the latest float glass technology designed and supplied by Stewart Engineers.

Iraqi glass container plant plan unveiled

Iraq-based Royal Can Making Company plans to set up a container glass factory with a capacity of approximately 1150 tons per day. The plant, in the south of Baghdad, will be built over the next four years with the first furnace of 520 tons per day operational by August 2023. A second furnace will be built in February 2024.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

NSG glass group secures Polish renewable electricity agreement

Flat glass manufacturer NSG Group signed an agreement to secure 10 years of renewable energy from EDP Renewables, a Polish wind farm. It is the first virtual power purchase agreement signed by a glass manufacturer in Poland.

Vermont partnership advances use of green hydrogen as clean fuel of the future

A partnership between GlobalFoundries, Vermont Gas Systems, Inc., and the University of Vermont will allow GlobalFoundries to reduce its carbon emissions even further by introducing the use of green hydrogen, which will be produced on-site at its Fab 9 campus in Essex Junction, Vermont.

Holcim launches Circular Cities Barometer in partnership with Bloomberg Media

Holcim partnered with Bloomberg Media to launch Circular Cities Barometer, an exploration of best circular economy practices from cities around the world. The partners will publish the Circular Cities Barometer’s first findings at the Bloomberg Green Summit in April 2022.

OTHER STORIES

CelSian to host refractory training course

CelSian will host a course focused on refractories for beginners on March 2–3, 2022, both online and in-person in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The course will provide insight into why different parts of the furnace require different refractory types, as well as maintenance techniques to increase furnace lifespans and reduce the risk of refractory failures.

Plastic pouches to replace glass vials as COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing ramps in Africa

Senegal could begin manufacturing coronavirus shots packaged in plastic pouches rather than glass vials this autumn, as efforts to produce vaccines “in Africa, for Africa” ramp up. The Institut Pasteur de Dakar—which has been making yellow fever vaccines for 80 years—is at the forefront of efforts to bolster the continent’s manufacturing capacity.

SCHOTT reports successful year for its pharma business unit, sets path for further growth

Following an increasing worldwide demand for high-quality pharma solutions, international technology group SCHOTT tripled its capacity for presterilized, ready-to-use glass vials in the U.S. in 2021. In addition, SCHOTT plans to triple the production capacity for vials and ampoules in China by the end of 2022.

XJet announces new leadership role as the company ‘elevates its infrastructure’

XJet announced that Andy Middleton was appointed Business Director for Central Europe. The announcement comes as the company, which provides 3D printing solutions to create products in ceramics and metals, experiences a wave of interest growth after they begin ramping up their infrastructure, specifically focusing on its global network sales.

Portland Cement Association announces 2022 focus for Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality

Portland Cement Association leadership unveiled the near-term goals and 2022 focus for the cement and concrete industry’s Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality, a plan to make the entire value chain carbon neutral by 2050, at the 2022 World of Concrete in Las Vegas.

OSTP advancing new scientific integrity principles

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released an interagency report last week that assesses the state of scientific integrity policies across federal agencies and outlines “good practices” for strengthening their application. It also identifies new principles that should underpin agencies’ scientific integrity policies.

MARKET TRENDS

Belgium is becoming more sustainable by building with green concrete

In Belgium, the construction sector is rapidly becoming more sustainable through timber construction and green concrete. But this innovation still comes with a few snags.

To decarbonize heavy industry, we must focus on industrial clusters

An article on the World Economic Forum argues that to make the biggest difference in decarbonizing industrial operations, we must focus on industrial clusters, where manufacturing industries are co-located.

Ceramic makers face up to dangers of EU carbon challenge

A Financial Times article looks at how the fragmentation of the ceramics industry threatens its ability to respond to environmental rules.

Predictions favored solar over wind power—what happened?

The New York Times reports on why predictions made nearly 50 years ago—that solar power would account for a larger share of the U.S. energy industry than wind power—did not live up to expectations and how learning from the past could help the U.S. to meet new renewable energy goals set by the current administration.

Structural steel price jumps another £50 a tonne

In letters to contractors, British Steel blamed sustained high steel-making costs for the £50 a tonne increase on steel sections for all new orders with immediate effect. Additionally, clay tiles are subject to price increases due to rising energy costs.

NEW PRODUCTS

SCHOTT marks a new era of chip packaging—with structured glass

SCHOTT has introduced FLEXINITY connect as the latest innovation in the advanced packaging industry. With FLEXINITY connect, ultra-fine structured glass brings a game-changing element to semiconductor manufacturing, which has traditionally used printed circuit boards and silicon interposers for advanced chip packaging solutions.

HeidelbergCement expands sustainable concrete portfolio in Germany

HeidelbergCement’s German subsidiary Heidelberger Beton is now offering a broad portfolio of sustainable concretes under the EcoCrete brand. Depending on the application, EcoCrete offers between 30–66% CO₂ reduction per cubic meter of concrete compared to the reference value of the industry.