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CI CyberNews, Vol. 8 No. 17
B.E.S.T. ACQUIRED BY METSO MINERALS Metso Minerals has acquired Bulk Equipment Systems Technology, Inc. (B.E.S.T., Inc.), and as of March 30, the new entity is called Metso BEST, Inc. With the acquisition, Metso Minerals further strengthens its position in North America. B.E.S.T. programs and builds user-friendly controls with networking capabilities to meet virtually all requirements. The process control know-how of B.E.S.T. will upgrade Metso’s product offering in North America and worldwide. Metso is a global engineering and technology corporation with 2006 net sales of approximately $6.6 billion. For additional information, call (330) 273-1277 or (800) 827-9237, fax (330) 225-8740, e-mail sales@bestvibes.com, or visit www.bestvibes.com. Metso's website is located at www.metso.com.
CERADYNE TO RELEASE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS Ceradyne, Inc. will release financial results for its 2007 first quarter ended March 31, 2007, before the market open on April 27, 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. PDT (11 a.m. EDT) on April 27. 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 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. PDT on April 27 through 9 p.m. PDT on April 29, 2007. The playback can be accessed by calling (800) 642-1687 or (706) 645-9291 and providing conference ID 5503918.
KYOCERA TO DOUBLE MANUFACTURING CAPACITY FOR SOLAR MODULES Kyocera Corp. recently announced plans to expand its annual solar module manufacturing capacity to 500 megawatts (MW) by the end of March 2011—more than double its current annual capacity of 240 MW—in response to global demand. The company has secured supply contracts with silicon producers to ensure the steady increase in production capacity. The new raw material contracts will allow the company to expand capacity throughout its quadripartite global manufacturing network for solar modules, which includes plants in Yohkaichi and Ise, Japan; Tijuana, Mexico; Kadan, Czech Republic; and Tianjin, China. Kyocera will invest an estimated 30 billion yen (about $250 million) in
plants and equipment throughout this network during the course of the expansion effort. For additional information, visit www.kyocerasolar.com.
SAINT-GOBAIN PLANT EXPANDS TO INCREASE BODY ARMOR PRODUCTION The Saint-Gobain Ceramics plant in Niagara Falls, N.Y., is expanding production capacity to meet an increased demand for ceramic body armor for U.S. troops. The U.S. military is currently purchasing as many as 25,000 sets of personal protection body armor each month. Each full set contains two torso plates and two side shield plates made from either boron carbide or silicon carbide. Saint-Gobain Ceramics sells the Hexoloy®
silicon carbide plates to top defense companies that combine the plate with a backing material, and insert the finished plates into vests. When a bullet strikes the Hexoloy plates, the bullet shatters and the plates absorb and disperse the force, protecting the wearer. To meet increased demand, the Niagara Falls plant recently launched a multi-million dollar expansion project, which is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2008. Saint-Gobain’s website is located at
www.saint-gobain.com.
NEW BLANKET AVAILABLE FROM UNIFRAX Unifrax I LLC recently introduced its Insulfrax®
S Blanket, which features improved thermal characteristics and is manufactured using enhanced fiberization techniques combined with new proprietary process technology. It also offers higher temperature capability than the Insulfrax 1800 Blanket it replaces. The new blanket has a continuous use limit of 1100ºC (2012ºF) and a temperature grade of 2300ºF. In addition, the new Insulfrax S Blanket melting point has been improved to provide customers with an increased safety margin. As with the original Insulfrax product, Insulfrax S Blanket retains its excellent thermal conductivity, thermal shock resistance and low heat storage, as well as ease of cutting and fabrication.
For more information, call (716) 278-3858, e-mail jolchawski@unifrax.com or visit www.unifrax.com.
UNION PROCESS DEVELOPS MINI CD WITH UPDATED LITERATURE Union Process, Inc. has developed a new mini CD containing updated literature on its entire line of grinding mills. In addition to including PDF files of the company’s corporate brochure and product brochures covering its line of Attritors™ and small media mills, the new mini CD also includes other valuable documents, such as selected technical papers and articles providing additional insight into the equipment. Literature on grinding media and equipment refurbishing is also available on the CD, as well as a particle size distribution chart.
For additional information, call (330) 929-3333, e-mail eli@unionprocess.com or visit www.unionprocess.com.
SPONSORED BY:
New Decorating Option In the past, open stock decals have been limited to use on either glass or ceramic. Each type had a different color palette and, thus, a different firing temperature. Now there is a new option—low-temperature open stock decals. The new low-temperature application process opens up new avenues of creativity for decorators while helping businesses meet the challenges of competing in today’s often difficult marketplace. Learn about
A Low-Temp Decal Alternative in this article from our April decorating section.
CyberTip Looking for a previously run news item? Simply visit
CI's website and use the search box at the top of the page!
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.
