Owens-Illinois Inc. has completed a €21 million investment at its Leerdam plant in the Netherlands to enhance its capabilities and better support the brewing industry in the Benelux market. O-I’s investment includes a furnace rebuild, machine upgrades and new process and quality equipment.

Emhart Glass owner Bucher Industries posted a 21 percent rise in profits for the 2012 business year. Bucher increased sales by 12 percent to CHF 2,609 million (~$2,776 million) while operating profit rose 21 percent to CHF 229 million (~$243 million). The market for the glass container industry remained stable; the shift of emphasis towards growth markets in the emerging economies of Asia, the Middle East and South America increased cost pressure and accelerated the trend towards simpler machines. In this environment, Emhart Glass generated higher sales.

CSR Limited announced a restructure of Viridian’s glass operations and provided a trading update for the year ending March 31, 2013. As part of the restructuring program, there are three changes to Viridian’s operations: 1) The float and laminating glass manufacturing facility at Ingleburn in New South Wales will be closed in July 2013; 2) The glass processing facility at Wetherill Park in New South Wales will be consolidated into the nearby Erskine Park facility by January 2014; and 3) Viridian’s overhead costs will be reduced to reflect the smaller operating footprint.

Magnesita Refratários S.A. announced its results for the fourth quarter of 2012 and the 2012 fiscal year. The company’s consolidated operating and financial information for 2012 discloses net revenue of R$2,463.7, up 6.2 percent over 2011. The company says, “Our highlight were sales in the Americas, where we earned new contracts and market share gains that partially offset falling European sales resulting from reduced steel production. We achieved solid performance in refractory sales to industrial sectors with significant 9.3 percent volume growth. In 2012, sales to these sectors accounted for 15.9 percent of total refractory revenue, compared to 13.7 percent in 2011.

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