• PPG Industries has been recognized by the Department of Energy for “significant achievements” in advancing organic light-emitting diode lighting technology. The results indicate significant cost and performance advantages over conventional indium tin oxide-coated display-grade glass substrates; PPG’s light-extraction technologies are compatible with the conventional float glass manufacturing process and result in significant enhancement of device efficiencies.
• Taking advantage of the tragic Italian business environment, the Egyptian International Business and Investment Association, “IBIA,” is working on transferring Italian factories to Egypt within this year. Ahmed Galal, president of IBIA had spoken to Al-Ahram newspaper stating that he had suggested to the Italian investors to transfer their factories to Egypt in cooperation with Egyptian investors, definitely including transfer of associated equipments and technologies. This will be a bullish leap in the Egyptian industry and a great loss for the western competitiveness.
• Indiana companies that use discarded glass in their products are urging lawmakers to pass a bill requiring refundable deposits on beverages sold in recyclable bottles and cans. Verallia North America VP Stephen Segebarth told, in a joint meeting of the Indiana House and Senate environmental affairs, that a bill calling for a 5- or 10-cent refundable deposit on recyclable containers would boost job creation by providing glass scraps. Verallia, which makes glass bottles and jars, is in fact constantly searching for cullet.
• Sharp Corp., as part of financial turnaround efforts, is considering selling a Polish factory where it has been assembling LCD televisions for the European market. European sales of Sharp’s LCD TVs stood at 1.4 million units in fiscal 2010 but, hit by the anemic EU economy, the sales fell to some 1 million units in fiscal 2012. Consequently, the operating rate of the Polish plant has dropped, making it unprofitable to run.
• Infab Refractories says it is excelling in a hot market. Infab is a descendant of Eastern Refractories Co, which opened a branch office in Lewiston, Maine, in the 1940s. The Lewiston satellite was located strategically with a rail siding, for delivery of the refractory firebricks needed to service the boilers of various power plants, paper mills and manufacturing plants. The company was sold to a national contractor in the late ’90s and was soon re-sold, becoming employee owned in 2004. David Collins, the principle owner of Infab Refractories, is the grandson of the first regional manager of Eastern Refractories, Ted Collins. Infab Refractories has expanded its client base through the manufacture of custom-made, removable insulation blankets and various other high-temperature products under the direction of owner Jean (John) Bergeron and former owner Dick Marston at their current location on the corner of Whipple and Summer streets in Lewiston.