Construction of Arglass container glass plant set to start
Construction of a $123 million Arglass Yamamura greenfield glass plant in Georgia is set to start. The plant will employ 150 people and be the company’s first glass manufacturing facility. According to the company’s website, the plant will have a capacity of 100,000 tonnes a year and be capable of producing 265,000,000 units a year.
Australia’s Northern Minerals signs rare earths supply deal with Germany’s Thyssenkrupp
Australia’s Northern Minerals Ltd signed a rare earths supply agreement with Germany’s Thyssenkrupp AG, just days after terminating a deal with China’s Lianyugang Zeyu New Materials Sales Co. Thyssenkrupp agreed to purchase the entirety of the heavy rare earth carbonate from the Browns Range project.
Sisecam Flat Glass introduced in India under new name
Şişecam Flat Glass launched its reflective solar control glass in the Indian market under the “Şişecam Tentesol” brand. Şişecam Flat Glass made the announcement with its customers in New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur. It introduced its silver, grey, green, bronze, and blue colored reflective solar control glass.
NASA awards Physical Optics Corporation additional $4M contract for optical fibers
Physical Optics Corporation received an SBIR Phase III award of over $4M for the production investigation of optical fibers in zero-gravity. The study intends to evaluate the feasibility of producing optical fibers in zero-gravity resulting in higher quality fibers with a potential 10x improvement in signal loss (dB/km).
Romania’s Ciech soda ash plant hibernation could shift European fundamentals
European soda ash fundamentals could radically alter soon as Ciech looks to hibernate its plant in Govora, Romania, following the termination of a deal for industrial process steam with its supplier. The plant is preparing for hibernation and is currently running at 20–30% reduced rates. Hibernation could last up to three years if no alternative suppliers are found.
American Glass Research publishes ‘Color Atlas of Glass Container Defects’
American Glass Research published its second book, titled ‘Color Atlas of Glass Container Defects’. The book is a photographic guide for manufacturers, fillers, and trade suppliers that can assist in quickly identifying defects and their sources.
ASTM to host additive manufacturing symposium
ASTM’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence will host the fourth Symposium on Structural Integrity of Additive Manufactured Materials and Parts Oct. 7–10 in Oxon Hill, Md. The event provides a forum to exchange ideas regarding structural integrity of AM-fabricated parts, with a focus on design principles and lack of industry standards.
Malaysia extends licence of rare earth miner Lynas by six months
Malaysia renewed the operating license for a rare earths processing plant owned by miner Lynas Corp. for six months with new conditions, an extension shorter than investors and industry analysts had expected. The Australian-listed firm is the only major proven producer of rare earths outside China.
Penn State researchers granted $75,000 to advance concrete 3D printing
A team from The Pennsylvania State University received $75,000 to develop its 3D printing concrete system. Following their participation in NASA’s 3D Printed Mars Habitat Challenge, the team is designing high-performance, sustainable concrete with a new cement-based mixture to be used with a six-axis robotic additive manufacturing machine.
French major energy player Total joins National Carbon Capture Center
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Carbon Capture Center welcomed French major energy player Total as a new member. Total is the second major oil and gas producer to sponsor the center, following ExxonMobil in 2018.
Author
Lisa McDonald