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CI CyberNews, Vol. 8 No. 13
ALCOA ON FORTUNE’S MOST ADMIRED LIST Alcoa recently announced that it has been named one of FORTUNE magazine’s 2007 Most Admired Companies in the publication’s annual ranking. Alcoa has been named to the top admired ranking for 24 years in a row. In 2005, Alcoa was inducted into the publication’s Hall of Fame list for its consistent high performance in the magazine’s rankings. For its survey of 616 companies in 68 industries, FORTUNE
asked more than 16,000 industry executives, directors and securities analysts to rank companies on key attributes. Alcoa maintained its high rankings on social responsibility, financial soundness, innovation and quality of products/services. Additional information is available at www.alcoa.com and http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune.
AVX OFFERS CONFORMALLY-COATED CERAMIC CAPACITOR AVX Corp. has developed the first automotive-grade conformally-coated ceramic radial leaded capacitor. Designated the AR Series, the product range will encompass NPO, X7R and now X8R dielectrics. The addition of the X8R dielectric allows for an extended temperature range up to 150ºC, making the parts ideal for a variety of automotive and industrial applications, including underhood, in-cabin and downhole. “The advantages of the conformally-coated radial technology have been a natural fit for the automotive industry, and our customers in that market were requesting this type of high-temperature part,” said Tim Piver, product specialist.
For more information, call (843) 448-9411, fax (843) 444-2864 or visit www.avx.com.
FERRO REPORTS 2006 FINANCIAL RESULTS Ferro Corp. recently announced that its sales for the year ended December 31, 2006, were a record $2.04 billion, up 8.5% from 2005. Sales for the fourth quarter were $497 million, an increase of 8.6% from the fourth quarter of 2005. Income from continuing operations for 2006 was $20.6 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, compared with $17.1 million, or $0.37 per share, in 2005. In 2006, operating income included net pre-tax expenses of $34.9 million, primarily related to previously announced manufacturing rationalization activities and costs associated with an accounting investigation and restatement. In 2005, operating income was reduced by pre-tax expenses of $14.1 million, primarily
related to expenses from restructuring and the accounting investigation and restatement. Sales for the first quarter of 2007 are expected to be approximately $500 million to $525 million, reflecting continued growth across multiple business segments. Additional details are available at www.ferro.com.
FUELCELL ENERGY TO POWER WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FuelCell Energy, Inc. recently announced the sale of its DFC1500MA power plant to operate on anaerobic digester gas from a sewage treatment facility serving the southern California city of Riverside. The facility treats 30 million gal of wastewater daily. The Direct FuelCell® (DFC®
) plant was sold through FuelCell Energy’s distributor, Alliance Power Inc. Riverside will own and operate the DFC1500MA at Riverside’s Water Quality Control Plant through its Public Works Department, and will assume ownership of the unit upon project completion. Renewable fuel for the DFC1500MA power plant will come from gas generated in the wastewater treatment process. Until now, this digester gas has been used by three reciprocating engines that power the treatment plant. However, because fuel cells convert renewable digester gas into electricity electrochemically and involve no combustion, they operate hundreds of times cleaner than conventional power generators. Visit www.fuelcellenergy.com or www.alliancepower.com for additional information.
GE ANNOUNCES WORLD WATER TOUR GE Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric Co., has announced its upcoming World Water Tour, a series of seminars that will bring water industry experts and industrial water users together. Speakers will discuss best practices and solutions capable of meeting industry’s increasing need to minimize operational costs, create sustainable supplies of water, decrease energy consumption and meet increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. The 14-city tour will focus on best practices proven in balancing competitive business and industrial demands that often face industrial water users, especially in regions facing water scarcity and quality challenges. For more information, visit www.gewater.com.
KARTZMAN NAMED VP OF SALES FOR IMAGINE TILE Imagine Tile recently appointed Sandy Kartzman vice president of Sales. Kartzman will be responsible for all aspects of product sales for commercial and residential markets worldwide, reporting directly to Imagine Tile President Christian McAuley. He will also manage the company’s nationwide sales and distributor network. Kartzman brings over 30 years of senior sales experience to Imagine Tile. “We are excited to welcome aboard such a seasoned sales professional,” said McAuley. “Sandy’s experience will be a great asset to growing the Imagine Tile brand.”
For more information, call (800) 680-8453 or visit www.imaginetile.com.
LAND ANNOUNCES ADDITIONS TO CYCLOPS LINE Two new models are available in the Cyclops line of portable infrared thermometers from Land Instruments International, a unit of Ametek, Inc. Both the Cyclops 100 and Cyclops 100B thermometers provide wired RS232C serial communications, and the Cyclops 100B also features enhanced connectivity incorporating user-friendly Bluetooth wireless communications. These hand-held thermometers use the latest digital signal processing techniques to provide fast, reliable, precision temperature readings within the range 1022 to 5432°F (550 to 3000°C). For more information, call (412) 828-9040, fax (412) 826-0399 or visit www.landinstruments.net.
NSL ANALYTICAL SERVICES TO EXPAND INTO NEW FACILITY NSL Analytical Services recently announced plans to relocate its operations to a newly renovated, state-of-the art facility in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. The move to the 30,800-square-foot building will enable NSL to consolidate all its testing operations under one roof. It will also provide room to expand testing services to include inorganic and organic chemistry, polymer testing, thermal analysis, metallurgical testing, material characterization, ceramic testing, composites testing and RoHS analysis. “NSL has enjoyed unprecedented growth over the past three years, and we’ve had to rent additional space to keep up with our customers’ demands,” said NSL
President Larry Somrack. “We appreciate the confidence our customers have shown in us by trusting us with their most critical analytical testing.” Additional information is available at www.nslanalytical.com.
SPONSORED BY:
BREAKING NEWS
Appeals Court Vacates EPA’s MACT Standards The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently returned a decision against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards on maximum achievable control technology (MACT) for hazardous air pollutants generated by brick, structural clay and clay ceramic kilns. Visit www.ceramicindustry.com
for additional details, including a PDF of the Court's full decision.
Know Your Material Ceramic raw material markets in the U.S. have changed more in the last five years than in the preceding 25. Greater numbers of ceramic products are now being produced in China, Spain, Vietnam, Mexico and other foreign countries that rely on cheaper labor and their own domestic sources of clays and raw materials. Mines and raw material processors in the U.S. are beginning to limit their production due to the domestic lack of demand. At some point, a reduced inventory of clays and other raw materials will again cause potters to look for substitutes for their clay and glaze formulas.
Sourcing Raw Materials: A Cautionary Tale details how a diverse and thorough knowledge of raw materials will be the potter’s only recourse in the present environment of fewer material options.
CyberTip
Need a materials or equipment supplier? Visit CI's newly revamped Data Book & Buyers' Guide online!
Online Calendar CI's full
Calendar of Events is available online to help you keep track of all the latest trade shows and seminars.
CHARTER SPONSOR
Mohr Corp. provides ceramic and machinery services to both buyer and seller, from the sale of one machine to entire factories, with its professionally established brokering, liquidation and appraisal organization. For more information, visit www.mohrcorp.com.
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR
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.
All statements about the companies/products included in this newsletter are manufacturers' claims, and neither CI CyberNews nor Ceramic Industry endorses any of the products mentioned.
