Ceramic and glass business news of the week for October 2, 2023

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Wisconsin will house an energy storage facility that is the first of its kind in the US

Alliant Energy announced it received a $30 million federal grant for a 200-megawatt-hour storage system in Columbia County, Wisconsin. The project would be the first to demonstrate the carbon dioxide-based energy storage system at a commercial scale.

Holcim US reduces power grid demand and fossil fuel reliance with solar arrays

Holcim US announced the installation of new solar arrays at its Fort Totten ready mix concrete plant in Washington, D.C., which helps to offset the industrial load in a major metropolitan area and replace the fossil-fuel-generated electricity with renewable energy.

New critical minerals investment spurs sapphire glass manufacturing in Queensland

The Queensland Government plans to invest in Gladstone-based company Alpha HPA to facilitate the manufacturing of sapphire glass used in smartwatches and smartphones from locally produced alumina. This investment aims to expedite the deployment of two purpose-built furnaces, which will be instrumental in producing the sapphire glass.

Giant Magellan Telescope begins final mirror fabrication

Texas A&M University and its partners in the Giant Magellan Telescope announced that they have begun the four-year process to fabricate and polish the telescope’s seventh and final primary mirror.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

ION Storage Systems secures supply agreement with Saint-Gobain Ceramics

ION Storage Systems, a Maryland-based manufacturer of solid-state lithium metal batteries, announced a multiyear supply agreement with Saint-Gobain Ceramics. The agreement comes after a successful technical relationship and manufacturing pilot program between the companies.

Axpo to supply wind power to Finnish automotive glass maker

Swiss renewable energy producer and trader Axpo Holding AG signed a wind power purchase agreement with Pilkington Automotive Finland Oy, part of glass producer NSG Group. Under the agreement, two automotive glass production sites will receive an annual total of 35 GWh of power generated by the 30-MW Storbacken wind farm.

UK and Germany sign hydrogen energy collaboration agreement

The United Kingdom and Germany signed a declaration to work together to underpin international trade in hydrogen. While the U.K. is seeking to produce all its own hydrogen with potential for exports from Scotland, Germany will import the bulk of its hydrogen requirements from other countries.

OTHER STORIES

National Academies decadal survey seeks tenfold boost for spaceborne research budget

The National Academies published a decadal survey of priorities for NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences division. The nearly 350-page report, titled “Thriving in Space,” argues the division is “severely underfunded” and should receive a tenfold budget increase before the end of the decade in order to advance the agency’s long-term space exploration goals.

Spanning four continents from Türkiye, Kordsa celebrates its 50^th year of global leadership

Kordsa, a global player in tire, construction reinforcement, and composite technologies, has clocked half a century on its reinforcement journey that started in 1973. The company operates in seven countries—Türkiye, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, the U.S., Germany, and Italy—with a total of 13 manufacturing facilities.

Kohler receives 2023 sustainability leadership award from Business Intelligence Group

For the third consecutive year, Business Intelligence Group recognized Kohler Co. with a Sustainability Leadership Award. The award recognizes Kohler’s Believing in Better: Better Planet strategy, which focuses on improving the company’s operational environmental footprint while prioritizing innovation in the design of environmentally friendly products.

Biden finds funds to launch an American Climate Corps

The White House announced it was launching the American Climate Corps, seeking to put more than 20,000 young people to work in clean energy and climate resilience jobs. An earlier funding provision was jettisoned by Congress. The new Corps appears to pull together workplace development funding scattered throughout previous legislation.

IEA Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Summit delivers six key actions for supply chains

Almost 50 countries from continents across the world came together with leaders from industry, investment, and civil society at the first IEA Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Summit to discuss effective courses of action on critical minerals to ensure rapid and secure energy transitions.

The Tesla of the cornfield: Self-driving tractors may be coming to Ohio fields soon

Small agriculture start-ups have been touting self-driving tractors since 2016, but now large corporations like John Deere, CNH Industrial, and AGCO have all announced autonomous tractors. While automation in other fields sometimes comes with the threat of job loss, many in the agricultural field see it as an opportunity for growth.

MARKET TRENDS

Helium prices surge to record levels as shortage continues

The helium shortage that last year forced many scientific users to get by with less than half of their pre-2022 usage levels has eased a bit, according to a wide variety of users. Yet prices continue to soar above the already high levels of a year ago. Physics Today provides a look at the current situation and discusses expectations for the future.

NY announces first-in-the-nation state concrete mandate

New York governor Kathy Hochul announced that as of Jan. 1, 2025, the state will implement mandatory emissions limits for concrete used in state-funded public building and transportation projects.

Even the US’s planned rare earth magnet factory cannot shake the influence of China

The Pentagon is funding a company named E-VAC Magnetics to make rare earth magnets in the U.S. to reduce its reliance on China. But E-VAC’s parent Vacuumschmelze itself has significant exposure to China.

China just stopped exporting two minerals the world’s chipmakers need

China’s exports of two rare minerals essential for manufacturing semiconductors fell to zero in August, a month after Beijing imposed curbs on sales overseas, citing national security. China produces about 80% of the world’s gallium and about 60% of germanium, according to the Critical Raw Materials Alliance.

NEW PRODUCTS

SCHOTT strengthens glass substrate portfolio for advanced semiconductor packaging

SCHOTT announced a three-point action plan based on product development, optimization, and investments to address the chip industry’s needs for glass-substrate-based advanced chip packaging.

Nanoe launches line of porcelain 3D printing products in partnership with Cerinnov Group

Zetamix, the French brand renowned for its industrial 3D printing filaments, is collaborating with Cerinnov Group, a renowned player in ceramic manufacturing, to launch an innovative range of porcelain products, including filaments, glazes, and ovens, designed to redefine the creative possibilities in porcelain artistry.

Avient presents Hammerhead composite panels for boatbuilders

Avient Corp.’s Hammerhead marine composite panels offer the marine industry lightweighting and production efficiency compared to traditional construction materials. Hammerhead marine composite panels are made from continuous glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic face sheets and polyester foam cores.

O-I Glass unveils variable data upgrade on bottles

O-I is the first glass manufacturer to produce decorated glass bottles using variable data printing. Customers can choose to have several variations during the same print run, including changing the graphic, colors, and words on the bottle.