PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

Glass & Glass plots second furnace at Mexican plant

Mexican glass container manufacturer Glass & Glass plans to install a second furnace at its manufacturing plant in Altamira, Tamaulipas. The 200 tonnes a day furnace is scheduled to be ready by summer 2021 and is being constructed to meet a growth in demand for the company’s glass products.

Form Energy gets its first grid-scale battery installation

Form Energy signed a contract with the Minnesota-based Great River Energy to develop a battery system that can deliver 1 megawatt of power for 150 hours. The installation will be the first commercial deployment of Form Energy’s long-duration energy storage technology.

Renewables to power Northern Minerals’ rare earth operation

Soluna Australia, a 50-50 partnership between Lithium Australia NL and DLG Energy in China, and Northern Minerals executed a letter of intent to develop a renewable power and battery storage facility at NTU’s Browns Range rare earth operation in Western Australia.


ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

WRI, Netherland researchers collaborate on flood prediction tool

The World Resources Institute built a flood prediction tool, Aqueduct Floods, with researchers in the Netherlands. The models show where people, property, and GDP are most at risk, and what investments might help prevent damage. Check out the beta here.

General Atomics announces partnership with Conflux on new heat exchanger

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. announced a partnership with Australian additive manufacturing applications specialist Conflux Technology to develop a new heat exchanger, with potential use in General Atomics’ remotely piloted aircraft systems.


OTHER STORIES

TMS COVID-19 Materials Needs Exchange

TMS launched the TMS COVID-19 Materials Needs Exchange as a means of connecting organizations on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic with materials experts and companies willing to render materials and manufacturing assistance, resources, and/or expertise. Check out the Exchange here.

GlassTrend raw materials webinar

GlassTrend has organized a webinar devoted to raw materials processing and glass recycling. The seminar will take place online May 27 and 28 and include speakers from glass technology manufacturers, suppliers, and end users.

Grid Modernization Lab Consortium develops common reference language for smart grid

To better ensure suppliers and purchasers all speak the same language when providing and buying items for the smart grid, the Department of Energy Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium published the report, “Reference Interoperability Procurement Language.” Read the report here.

USTV-DGG conference cancelled

The USTV-DGG conference, a glass technology conference organized by the French Union for Science and Glass Technology and the German Society of Glass Technology, was canceled due to COVID-19.

ACI Foundation announces 2020 award recipients

The American Concrete Institute Foundation announced its 2020 awardees. Frank J. Vecchio (University of Toronto) and John W. Wallace (University of California Los Angeles) received the Arthur J. Boase Award while Kamal H. Khayat (Missouri University of Science & Technology) received the Robert E. Philleo Award.

Under Armour accused of monopolizing ‘bioceramic’ garments

Under Armour Inc. was sued in Pittsburgh federal court by a former partner claiming it stole trade secrets and engaged in false advertising on the way to monopolizing “bioceramic” fabrics, popularized by Tom Brady, that supposedly promoted athletic recovery.


MARKET TRENDS

As telecom demands grow, optical fibers will need to level up

In a recent a C&EN article, the history of silica and the global fiber optics market is discussed. The shortcomings and possible improvements of silica are outlined, in addition to possible alternative materials.

Glass vial shortage could stop global rollout of coronavirus vaccine

A Business Insider article discusses how a shortage of glass vials in which to store vaccines could hinder rollout of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus once one is approved.

Emerging materials opportunities for the apparel industry

A new Lux Research report highlights four key megatrends that are driving the shift toward materials innovations in the textile and apparel industry: the need for sustainability, functionality and differentiation, minimizing supply chain risks, and the trend toward personalization. See the executive summary of the report here.

Author

Lisa McDonald