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Almatis expands its tabular alumina plant in India

India

Almatis, a group company of OYAK, celebrated the official opening of its fully integrated tabular alumina facility in Falta, India.

The opening ceremony, attended by members of the local government and trade organisations, as well as many customers, marks another milestone in the history of Almatis.

This investment is the first of its kind in India, adding a completely new sintered tabular processing plant to the existing sizing facility. Almatis India operations is now fully independent in their sourcing and supply chain requirements for the Indian market.

Almatis CEO Anιl Sonmez stated in his welcome speech, said: “Almatis is proud to have established the first integrated tabular operation in India and is committed to being a reliable supplier and partner to our customers. This is a significant milestone showing Almatis commitment to being a reliable supplier and partner to our customers and also for tabular alumina supply to the Indian market.”

Many experts from other Almatis plants around the world brought in their long experience and deep knowledge to now produce in India the accustomed reliable quality.

The history of Almatis business activities in India goes back to 1995 when a joint venture was founded by Alcoa and Associated Cement Companies Limited India (ACC). In 2007 Almatis purchased the remaining stake in the JV to form a 100%-owned subsidiary.

With sales offices in Kolkata and Singapore, technical support from a local R&D lab in Kolkata, and support from the Almatis global network, Almatis India operations is well positioned to meet the increased demand of the refractory and steel markets for the upcoming years.

Almatis, which is part of the OYAK Group of Companies, processes aluminum oxide (alumina) and produces and sells special alumina. It has been developing, manufacturing and supplying specialty alumina and alumina-based products for more than 100 years. Alumina is a key input for many industries including refractory, ceramics, and glass. The company has nine production centres, six sales offices, and six application-product development laboratories located throughout the world. Besides its headquarters in the Netherlands, the Group has factories in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, China and India, and sales offices in the US, Germany, India, Japan and China.

Ardagh Glass Packaging – Africa additional capacity investment

South Africa

Ardagh Glass Packaging – Africa (AGP – Africa) announced a further extension of its Nigel production facility in Gauteng, South Africa.

This investment in a third furnace (N3) follows the recently commissioned Nigel 2 (N2) expansion and will further increase the facility’s capacity to provide sustainable glass packaging to support customers’ current and projected demand growth over the next few years.

N3 will be a replica of the N2 expansion completed earlier this year and will similarly incorporate a new furnace and additional production lines. It will also provide significant energy, water efficiency and environmental benefits, representing another important step in AGP – Africa’s journey to decarbonise the glass production process and reduce emissions.

This capital investment will further bolster government’s economic recovery plans in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, offering additional job opportunities and increased ancillary supply-chain benefits in the community.

The investment, which is backed by long-term customer contracts, is in line with Ardagh’s commitment at the time of acquisition to invest in the growth of the South African glass industry. Leveraging Ardagh Group’s technical capabilities and global sourcing, the expansion is expected to be commissioned in late 2023, well ahead of current standard lead times.

Following completion, the Nigel production facility will be the largest glass container production facility in the AGP - Africa network, and in the African continent.

Sibelco and Diatreme invest in joint venture

Australia/Belgium

Sibelco has completed a 11 million Australian dollar (€7 million) first tranche investment in a newly incorporated joint venture company, Cape Silica Holdings Pty Ltd (CSHPL), for 9.99% stake.

As announced in June, Sibelco committed to invest AUD 49 million (€32 million) in Diatreme Resources Limited, an emerging Australian producer of mineral and silica sands based in Brisbane, Australia.

A second tranche investment of AUD 24 million (€15.5 million) is expected within 12 months, as part of the strategic joint venture, after which Sibelco will hold a 26.8% stake in CSHPL.

The investment will advance the development of Diatreme’s emerging Galalar Silica Sand Project (GSSP) and Northern Silica Project (NSP), amid surging demand for high purity silica from the fast-growing solar energy industry.

The strategic partnership between Sibelco and Diatreme also included an AUD 13.97 million Australian (€9 million) corporate strategic placement, which has made Sibelco a significant shareholder in Diatreme with a 15% equity stake. The long-term joint venture also includes plans for joint product marketing, pursuit of onshore silica processing downstream opportunities and assistance in accessing project finance, benefitting from Sibelco’s established global networks.

“We are delighted to partner with Diatreme on both a corporate and strategic level. This partnership supports Sibelco’s vision and ambition to be the global leader in silica sand, extending access to silica sand reserves across the globe. We look forward to creating long-term success together,” said Ian Sedgman, Sibelco’s chief strategy and business development officer

Quanex buys LMI, baroadens polymer solutions

United States

Quanex announced the acquisition of LMI Custom Mixing (LMI), an advanced polymer solutions provider with a focus on advanced methods for mixing rubber compounds for the most demanding applications.

The acquisition will complement and expand Quanex’s polymer solutions expertise, enabling the Company to diversify into key new markets, enhance polymer solutions for its existing businesses and deliver an enhanced experience to LMI customers throughout North America.

Located in Cambridge, Ohio, LMI operates a state-of-the-art custom polymer mixing facility, featuring an advanced computer controlled facility capable of producing consistent, quality custom mixed rubber compounds. LMI will now be known as Quanex Custom Mixing with LMI team members transitioning employment to Quanex.

Bob Daniels, president, Quanex North American Fenestration, said: “LMI has been one of our important vendor partners for a long time, and we’re excited to welcome them to the Quanex family.

“We are confident their expertise will help us solidify and enhance our portfolio of solutions in the areas where we do business today, and as we seek to diversify, the LMI team will be essential in allowing us to develop innovative new compounds and meet our growth goals.”

LMI was identified not just for the complementary technology it will bring to Quanex, but for its shared culture, values and commitment to its customers.

Daniels said: “Culturally, we couldn’t be more similar, and we believe bringing both companies together is a great fit.

“LMI has long empowered its people to do the best work possible for their customers, and that’s something we’re committed to continuing. What they bring to the table will help augment everything we do, bringing a new breadth of compounds that we can use to enhance what we offer to our customers.”

Jim Nixon, general manager for LMI, said: “Quanex has a tremendous reputation around quality and innovation, and we’re excited to join forces with a partner

Vetropack builds new plant in Italy

Italy

European glass manufacturer, The Vetropack Group, is investing over CHF 400 million in a new facility designed to serve the traditionally important Italian market. It is anticipated that production will begin in Boffalora sopra Ticino near Milan in the second quarter of 2023. In addition to increased capacity and a focus on sustainable processes, the new high-tech site provides increased flexibility in production.

The Italian subsidiary Vetropack Italia S.r.l. has been a member of the Vetropack Group since 2015. However, it has been manufacturing glass since 1960. Due to the fact that the previous plant in Trezzano sul Naviglio was unable to meet Vetropack's ambitious quality and sustainability goals in the long term, the Group decided to build a new factory in Boffalora sopra Ticino, approximately 25 kilometres away. "The Italian market is of great importance to us and, with its many global brands, plays a central role in our strategy," explains Johann Reiter, CEO of Vetropack Holding.

The new, state-of-the-art production plant is being built on the site of the former Reno di Medici paper mill and covers an area of 347,000 m2, of which 170,000 m2 will be utilised for actual production. As in the previous plant, two furnaces will be put into operation at the beginning of operations. However, the manufacturer expects to increase production capacity by approximately 70% as compared to the previous site. Vetropack anticipates a positive market development in Italy and beyond in the medium term, which is why the infrastructure is designed to maximise capacity. There has been an offer for all 301 employees of the previous site to transfer. Even though production volume per employee has increased significantly, the workforce is expected to continue to grow. Employees, both new and existing,

ProFrac Holding to acquire Eagle Ford Sand Mine

United States

ProFrac Holding announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Eagle Ford sand mining operations of Monarch Silica. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2022.

Matt Wilks, ProFrac's Executive Chairman, said: "We are pleased to add the Monarch mine to the growing portfolio of in-basin sand mines we operate through Alpine Silica.

“This transaction further demonstrates ProFrac's commitment to its vertical integration strategy, providing the company with access to highquality, local proppant in the Eagle Ford, where we currently operate eight active fleets.

With Monarch's production capacity expected to expand to nearly four million tonnes per year by Q1 2023, ProFrac will be well positioned to bundle internally sourced proppant across our active fleets in the region."

With a strategically located mine in the Eagle Ford basin, Monarch’s acreage consists of 70+ million tonnes of third party proven reserves. The reserve consists of high quality 40/70 and 100 mesh proppants utilised in hydraulic fracturing. that is committed to our growth and creating new opportunities for our people to do great work.

As a part of Quanex, we will strengthen our dedication to the custom mix market, while offering new capabilities and opportunities for our customer base to grow as we expand our portfolio of products. Our team is looking forward to working with a company that shares our culture and is strategically aligned with how we do business.”

have already been trained on the new production equipment since 2020.

Vetropack is investing in high-performance and smart technologies that facilitate more flexible, customised, and resourceefficient operations in Boffalora. "Thanks to modern equipment and processes, we can produce more flexibly and better meet the increasing demand for high-quality packaging, even in smaller volumes – so-called semi-specials," says Christoph Burgermeister, project manager at Vetropack. At the same time, the site is geared towards significantly more sustainable production.

ProFrac Holding is a growthoriented, vertically integrated and innovation-driven energy services company providing hydraulic fracturing, completion services and other complementary products and services to leading upstream oil and gas companies engaged in the exploration and production (E&P) of North American unconventional oil and natural gas resources. Founded in 2016, the company was built to be the go-to service provider for E&P companies' most demanding hydraulic fracturing needs.

Encirc buys 'The Park' facility from Accolade Wines

United Kingdom

Encirc, a Vidrala Company, has entered into a deal with Accolade Wines, one of the world’s leading premium wine producers, to purchase the assets of ‘The Park’ bottling and warehousing facility in Bristol, UK.

The agreement will see Accolade Wines entering a 10-year contract bottling and distribution agreement with Encirc to ensure ongoing support for its flagship beverage brands. The move will utilise rail distribution between sites and supply into retail, enabling Encirc to provide an ultra-efficient, sustainable supply chain service across the UK b everage market.

The Park is a highly advanced, sustainable and award-winning manufacturing facility, capable of producing the equivalent of more than 30 million, nine-litre cases of wine a year. Following investments by Accolade Wines, the facility is currently zero waste and carbon neutral, with the installation of wind turbines in 2019 contributing to the use of 100% renewable electricity.

Encirc operates from its three purpose-built sites in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh, Elton, Cheshire and Corsico, Italy. It produces around four billion glass bottles and other containers annually and can fill more than 200 million litres of bulk shipped beverages every year. Encirc is already unique in the market due to its 360 service, a complete supply chain offering for glass, filling, storage and distribution that helps reduce the carbon footprint of every glass bottle it makes and fills.

The 360 service allows Encirc to fill, store and distribute bottles from one location in Elton Cheshire, significantly reducing the number of lorry journeys needed to get a product onto supermarket shelves.

Encirc managing director, Adrian Curry, said: “This deal shows how collaboration and innovation between organisations who put sustainability and planet-first operations first can lead to the realisation of a shared vision. This deal will allow us to service the UK glass beverage market with an offering that is unrivalled globally in terms of service and sustainability. We are excited to welcome our new colleagues from The Park into the Encirc family.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Encirc will acquire The Park facility and all associated plant and equipment. As part of the transaction, approximately 400 employees engaged in manufacturing at The Park will transfer to Encirc on their existing terms of employment. The Accolade Wines team members not involved in manufacturing will continue to drive Accolade Wine’s European business, and work with Encirc to ensure a smooth transition to the new model with no disruption to customers. The transaction is scheduled to close in January 2023.

CR Minerals and Rio Tinto collaborate on pozzolans

United States

CR Minerals announced that it has reached an agreement with Rio Tinto, on the production of pozzolans from waste materials at the US Borax facility in Boron, California.

The company intends to use waste tailings present onsite to produce pozzolans that can be used as a cement replacement in concrete. The pozzolans will be manufactured at a new facility to be constructed by CR Minerals on Rio Tinto's property as part of this agreement.

Rio Tinto has had operations in Boron for nearly a century, mining and manufacturing products used in fertilisers, but it is also in other industries such as glass manufacturing, wood protection and insulation fiberglass.

President of CR Minerals, Jeffrey Whidden, said: "We have been working with Rio Tinto for several years now to bring this concept to life.

“Taking what was once considered waste streams and turning them into usable products for the construction materials industry is part of the vision of our company.

“Manufacturing a low carbon alternative to cement will be an exciting venture in the State of California that prides itself on being at the forefront of effecting positive environmental change."

Renny Dillinger, Rio Tinto's general manager for US Borax, said: "Rio Tinto continues to demonstrate its leadership in the mining industry through this agreement. "Our commitment to the environment and leaving a lasting,

positive legacy is fundamental to our sustainability goals. Finding new uses for our waste streams and by-products such as this is a key component to our goal of decarbonisation and also to achieving a circular economy." CR Minerals is a global producer of pumice products and pozzolanic materials (natural pozzolans and patented, remediated fly ashes) for the construction and oil and gas industries. It has operations in various states in the Western USA and is based in Southlake, Texas. Solvay to expand capacity at soda ash plant

United States

Solvay announced plans to resume the construction of its 600 kT soda ash capacity expansion in Green River, Wyoming. Production is expected to start at the end of 2024 in time to meet customers’ growing needs for a secure and cost competitive source of supply.

In addition, a project to deploy a new breakthrough technology to reduce emissions originating from Trona mining operations will be implemented, leading to a 20% reduction of the site’s greenhouse gas emissions, consistent with Solvay’s commitment to decarbonise its operations in line with Solvay One Planet’s sustainability roadmap. This innovation will make Solvay the first company to implement regenerative thermal oxidation technology to abate emissions in a trona mine.

Ilham Kadri, CEO, Solvay said: “These investments reinforce Solvay’s leadership position as a long-term, sustainable global supplier to our customers. I am also particularly proud of the role that our innovation is playing to cut greenhouse gas emissions at our Green River facility in the US, where CO2 emissions currently have no cost, contrary to Europe.

“This attractive investment expands our supply of tronabased soda ash and will position the business for superior and responsible growth into the future.” The investments total around $200 million and complement the previous investment that secured sole ownership of the natural soda ash operation. The facility, operated solely by Solvay since May 2022, produces soda ash and sodium bicarbonate from trona, a naturally occurring mineral to serve markets such as flat glass for building insulation, container glass, detergents as well as fast growing markets including solar panels and lithium carbonate for electric vehicles.

Solvay Soda Ash & Derivatives is a global business unit of Solvay. It provides a global, secured and sustainable supply of soda ash to its customers manufacturing glass for building, automotive, solar panels and packaging applications, as well as detergents and chemicals. It also develops solutions based on sodium bicarbonate for the health care, food, animal feed and flue gas cleaning markets. Solvay Soda Ash & Derivatives has 11 industrial sites worldwide, more than 3,200 employees and serves 120 countries.