ALMATIS APPOINTS LAUDENBACH CEO
Martin Laudenbach has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of Almatis. He succeeds Hervé de Carmoy, who as executive chairman had been the interim head of the company since the end of November 2006, when former CEO Oscar Groomes stepped down from his position. Over the last 14 years, Laudenbach has worked in senior executive roles in Europe, America and Asia. He led the expansion of BASF’s global automotive coatings business and most recently headed BASF’s Fine Chemicals Division.
For more information, call (49) 6995-734128, e-mail info@almatis.com  or visit www.almatis.com.

NEW FURNACE DESIGN AVAILABLE FROM CENTORR
Centorr Vacuum Industries has expanded its furnace offerings for the advanced ceramics market with a new continuous belt furnace design. The unit was designed in conjunction with Southern Illinois University for U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) studies running non-oxide ceramics for automotive applications. Effective densification, minimized weight loss (dissociation) and managed crystallinity are all benefits of processing ceramics in the new belt furnace. Compared to conventional batch sintering, the small, uniform work envelope provides superb thermal control while heating a continuously moving, small cross-section workload.
For more information, call (603) 595-7233.

CERADYNE TO RELEASE 2006 FINANCIAL RESULTS
Ceradyne, Inc. will release financial results for its 2006 fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2006, before the market open on February 26, 2007. Management will also conduct a conference call to review the company’s financial results. Any investor or interested individual can listen to the teleconference, which is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. PST (11 a.m. EST) on February 26. To participate in the teleconference, call (877) 717-3046 or (706) 634-6364 approximately 10 minutes prior to the start time. The teleconference will also be available live via the Internet at www.ceradyne.com or www.earnings.com. For those unable to attend, these websites will host an archive of the call. A telephone playback will be available beginning at 11:30 a.m. PST on February 26 through 9 p.m. PST on February 28, 2007. The playback can be accessed by calling (800) 642-1687 or (706) 645-9291 and providing conference ID 9128286.

FARR APC OFFERS RETROFIT CARTRIDGES
A full line of HemiPleat™ retrofit cartridges from Farr Air Pollution Control (APC) can be used to upgrade performance or solve problems of existing dust collector systems. The key to enhanced performance is a patent-pending pleating technology that opens up the pleats uniformly for more effective cleaning and better airflow. This filtration upgrade can greatly extend service life and reduce pressure drop compared to competitive dust collector cartridge filters. HemiPleat retrofit filters are available to fit virtually all leading brands of dust collectors that use cylindrical cartridges.
For additional information, call (800) 479-6801, fax (800) 222-6891, e-mail filterman@farrapc.com or visit www.farrapc.com/html_hemipleat/retrofit/.

FERRO’S NEW COATINGS PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO STAINLESS STEEL
A new alternative to metallic kitchen finishes, Evolution™ coatings from Ferro Corp. offer performance that maintains beauty and builds long-term brand popularity. Unlike stainless steel, Evolution does not show noticeable fingerprints, does not discolor from heat, and is resistant to stains, scratching and chemical cleaners. In addition to providing a long-lasting, easy-care finish, Evolution offers a cost-effective alternative to stainless steel and copper for manufacturers facing escalating metal prices. Product differentiation is enhanced with Evolution’s wide range of custom metallic color possibilities.
Additional information is available at www.ferro.com.

HAUCK UNVEILS NEW CORPORATE LOGO
In September 2005, Hauck Manufacturing Co. became a part of the Elster Group, a leading manufacturer and supplier of metering and gas utilization strategies to the gas, electricity and water industries. Hauck is an enthusiastic member of the Group, which employs more than 9000 people in 38 countries. In recognition of its change in ownership, Hauck’s new logo displays its Elster connection. “Elster Hauck” is indicative of the strength and resources Elster brings to Hauck Manufacturing, as well as the expertise in the combustion industry that Hauck brings to the Elster Group. The Hauck brand name will continue to be displayed on Hauck products.
For more information, call (717) 272-3051, fax (717) 273-9882, e-mail sstom@hauckburner.com or visit www.hauckburner.com.

LAEIS ANNOUNCES HYDRAULIC PRESSING DEVELOPMENTS
LAEIS recently announced a variety of developments for its hydraulic presses. The guided, controlled flow of materials from the preparation to dosing and feeding into the press mold is handled with precision. Volumetric and gravimetric feeding systems (or combined systems) ensure the highest precision and repeat accuracy for mold filling and individual weight of the pressed products. Specifically, adapted mold filling systems (including two-component-systems) allow for a controlled material distribution in the mold to ensure a uniform densification, even with complex geometries for parts featuring strong thickness variations with steep flanks.
For additional information, e-mail info@laeis-gmbh.com or visit www.laeis-gmbh.com.

LIBBEY ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS
Libbey Inc. recently announced that its sales increased 34.8% to a record $213.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2006, up from $158.2 million in the prior year’s fourth quarter. Libbey reported a net loss of $8.5 million, or $0.60 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2006, compared to a net loss of $21.0 million, or $1.50 per share in the prior year quarter. Fourth quarter North American Glass sales increased 49.6% to $156.0 million. For the 12 months ended December 31, 2006, sales increased 21.4% to $689.5 million, up from $568.1 million in 2005. North American Glass sales increased 30.6% to $476.7 million for the year. The increase in sales was primarily attributable to the consolidation of the sales of Crisa, the company’s former joint venture in Mexico, increases of more than 6% in shipments to foodservice glassware customers, and increases of over 9% to retail glassware customers.
Additional details are available at www.libbey.com.

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Insaco is a precision machining company that provides finished pieces to customers' specifications from ultra hard materials, including oxide ceramics, nitrides, carbides and quartz, and especially industrial sapphire. NEW capability allows the company to machine within a 102” x 31” x 70” envelope and still hold tight tolerances. Visit www.insaco.com.

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