° Strong beer sales in Europe helped boost Owens-Illinois first quarter profits. Global volumes were up 2 percent year-over-year, with European volumes up by 6 percent, driven by strong beer performance as well as wine. Record-setting snow and cold in North America dampened profitability in the quarter, despite modest volume growth.
° Modesto, Calif.-based company Gallo Glass is planning to procure the world’s largest container glass batch plant from EME Maschinenfabrik Clasen. This plan also includes also furnaces from Nikolaus Sorg. The first phase of the project will be commissioned in late 2014 with the final phases being operational in the second quarter of 2015.
° Wiegand Glas has issued an order to Zippe for the turnkey delivery of a cullet house and cullet transport system to supply all four furnaces at Wiegand Glas’s location in Steinbach am Wald, Germany. Since Wiegand Glas operates with a very high cullet ratio, this plant section will be a crucial element in ensuring the melting material supply in Steinbach.
° Following Guardian Industries’ April 24 announcement of a price increase, it is now the turn of PPG to send a letter to customers, announcing that it would increase prices on primary glass products, effective June 2. Increases will range from 9 percent for standard items to 6 percent for several specialties.
° Heritage Glass, located in northeastern Tennessee, plans to build a plant that will bring more than 200 jobs to the area. Governor Bill Haslam, Kingsport officials, and Heritage Glass announced in a statement on Tuesday that the company would invest $15.8 million in the plant in Sullivan County and create 237 jobs. Heritage manufactures patterned glass that is used for items such as shower doors and solar panels and ships around the world.