Here is what we are hearing:
Thermal Technology ships large hot press
Thermal Technology, a leading manufacturer of vacuum and high temperature furnace systems, recently built, installed and commissioned a 500,000-pound force hot press for a Northern California customer to produce large powder metallurgy semiconductor materials. The hot press, Model HP500-242424G, offers a large usable work space with a four-side heated graphite hot zone rated to 1,800°C and operates in an inert gas, vacuum or partial pressure environment. The furnace provides a spacious 24-inch-cube work area with a convenient front or rear loading configuration, permitting direct and unrestricted access to the work area. This system offers precision force control and displacement measurement with accuracy of better than 0.5% of reading.
Ortech offers ceramic tubing for in industrial machinery and chemical manufacturing
Ortech Inc. carries a full line of ceramic tubes in the following ceramic material: mullite; alumina and dense alumina; TTZ (magnesia partially stabilized zirconia; YTZP ( yttria partially stabilized zirconia; ZDY (yttria fully stabilized zirconia); along with silicon carbide. The ceramic tubes are available in a wide range of sizes and shapes such as: extruded tubing, cast tubing (for larger diameter tubes), round double bore, oval double bore along with four bore tubing. The ends of the tubes can also be precision-made for a sure fit for any application.
PPG to sponsor 2012 Progressive Architecture Awards
PPG Industries will sponsor the 59th annual Progressive Architecture Awards Celebration, Feb. 16 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. For more than 50 years, the P/A Awards have recognized buildings and architectural design throughout the world that stretches the boundaries of convention and promotes advances in the field. In 2012, of 200 projects submitted for consideration, only 10 were selected as P/A Award winners. Richard A. Beuke, PPG vice president, flat glass, said PPG is pleased to support the P/A Awards. “Over the years, architectural glass made by PPG has been central to advancing the art and science of building design. It is an honor for us to be associated with the tradition these awards represent, and with the architects and firms that keep glass on the forefront of contemporary design.”
Morgan Thermal Ceramics offers next generation flexible MIN-K aerospace insulation
Morgan Thermal Ceramics is now offering Flexible Min-K F382 and Min-K F351 aerospace insulation, the next generation of its Min-K product line of microporous insulation. Lightweight and durable, materials feature 20 to 25 percent lower thermal conductivity than the industry standard F182 and F150 microporous materials. Flexible Min-K insulation uses an optimized blend of fumed silica, opacifiers and fibers to produce the lowest thermal conductivity product in high temperature applications. These particles and fibers create a structure that limits air convection, heat conduction and radiation transmission. The materials are non-combustible and have no flame or smoke spread.
Windows reveal the true housing market
Maybe the clearest way to look at the housing market is through a nice glass window. Susan Marvin, president of Marvin Windows and Doors, a small, privately held family company based in Warroad, Minn., wants to believe that the housing market is improving, but the numbers say otherwise. Housing starts and permits are at or near all-time lows. So are new-home sales. Existing-home sales, while improving, remain at near-historic lows. These are the reasons why Ms. Marvin’s company projects that 2012 will be a flat year for the window business, no better than last year.
Green homes market expected to increase five-fold by 2016, up from a $17B opportunity today
McGraw-Hill Construction, a part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, today released findings from a new Green Home Builders and Remodelers Study at the National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show in Orlando. Green homes comprised 17% of the overall residential construction market in 2011 and are expected to grow to between 29% and 38% of the market by 2016. By value, this equates to a five-fold increase, growing from $17 billion in 2011 to $87-$114 billion in 2016, based on the five-year forecast for overall residential construction. Green remodeling is growing especially fast due to the economy and decline in new home construction
Eliane, Portobello to merge, forming fifth largest producer
Brazilian producers of ceramic tile Eliane S/A and Portobello S/A have entered into an agreement to merge. The agreement was signed by CEOs Edson Gaidzinski Jr. of Eliane and Cesar Gomes Jr. of Portobello on Dec. 24. The ultimate transaction will result in a firm with over 4,000 employees and $650 million U.S. in sales, making it one of the top five worldwide producers in revenue, with a combined market of products in more than 70 countries globally. The merger is expected to be finalized during the first quarter of 2012