Ceramics/Glass latest news

• June 2021

  Tight margins can't justify synthetic soda ash capacity investment, Solvay says

  16 June 2021

  Demand is returning after Covid-19 related lockdowns but the environment isn't right to warrant synthetic soda ash production expansions to guarantee supply in the years to come, according to Belgian chemicals group Solvay.

• Foundry chromite prices move up on higher costs

  11 June 2021

  Spot market prices for foundry-grade chromite edged upward for the first time since March in the week to Tuesday June 8, with currency rate changes and logistics issues raising costs for producers.

• BFA prices up again on supply issues but WFA, bauxite firm

  11 June 2021

  Prices for brown fused alumina (BFA) moved up in the fortnight to Thursday June 10 amid increasing supply tightness following temporary closures in China’s Henan province. The price of white fused alumina (WFA) imports into Europe was supported by soaring freight costs, while bauxite also held firm.

• Fused alumina price ticks up further on higher costs; bauxite follows

  01 June 2021

  Rising production costs, a more expensive Chinese yuan and the continuing global logistics issues continued to support prices for both brown and white fused alumina (BFA and WFA) and for bauxite in the fortnight to Thursday May 27.

• May 2021

  Chemical, foundry chromite prices lose ground

  19 May 2021

  The chemical-grade chromite market dropped over the past week, with sellers forced to lower offers in the face of weak demand, with wet bulk foundry prices also weakening due to consumers' lack of appetite.

• Rising costs break BFA three-month stability; WFA tick up while bauxite firm

  14 May 2021

  Prices of brown fused alumina (BFA) moved up during the past fortnight after holding firm for the past three months amid increasing electricity costs and tightened supply of calcined bauxite.

• Solvay synthetic soda ash plant to have lower emissions than natural production

  12 May 2021

  Chemicals producer Solvay intends to eliminate coal as an energy source from its German synthetic soda ash plant, meaning that the plant will produce the white salt with lower emissions than solution-mining from natural sources, it has said.

• Rotterdam almost clear of Suez blockage backlog, Port Authority says

  12 May 2021

  The so-called “Suez Armada” of vessels that were delayed by the unintentional blockage of the Suez Canal has now been processed by the Port of Rotterdam, but the port was still “extremely” busy and there were challenges ahead for the shipping sector, speakers said during the Supply Chain Talks digital event on Wednesday May 5.

• Logistics havoc causing new supply chain delays, rising costs for consumers

  10 May 2021

  Consuming markets of commodity raw materials are under pressure yet again from a combination of renewed increases in sea freight costs and overstretched logistics, making delivery schedules unreliable and causing long delays at a time when suppliers are tightening contracting terms to reduce liability.