WATERLOO, IA USA--California Pellet Mill (CPM) has appointed Ricardo Armbrust Costa Aranha as its Brazil sales manager. CPM supplies process equipment and technology for the animal feed and food processing industries.

NEWTON, KS USA--Bunting Magnetics Co. has added Matthew Mason, Cory Dreiling, and Brandon Bousquet as design engineers in its technical services department. The company manufactures magnetic assemblies and equipment, including magnetic separators, metal detectors, and material handling systems.

VETTELSCHOSS, Germany--Kalenborn Kalprotect has named Markus Buscher managing director. The company offers ceramic, mineral, and metallic materials for wear-protection systems and solutions.

NIEDERLENZ, Switzerland--K-Tron LLC has appointed Stefan Kalt global business development manager of plastic compounding and extrusion. The company supplies feeding, pneumatic conveying, and systems engineering solutions for process industries.

TAMPA, FL USA--The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) recently released two parts of a new series of Good Practice Guides on Product Quality Lifecycle Implementation (PQLI). These two new guides address product and process development through a quality-by-design approach that covers the entire product lifecycle. Part 1 focuses on criticality, design space, and control strategy and addresses science- and risk-based approaches to product and process development. Part 2 presents a small-molecule case study and focuses on quality risk management. For more information, visit www.ispe.org. ISPE is a nonprofit association representing pharmaceutical science and manufacturing professionals.

LAS VEGAS, LV USA--According to the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), there were more than 26,000 attendees and 1,559 exhibitors at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2011 this past September. The record-breaking attendance figure was about 15 percent higher than the last Las Vegas show, which was held in 2009. In addition, net square footage was up more than 20 percent to almost 192,024 net square meters. The show focused on integrated processing and packaging innovations in more than 40 packaging markets, including foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals.

LONDON, England--Merchant Research & Consulting, an industrial market research firm, has released three new studies on global materials markets. “Mica Market Review” predicts that total global mica production will continue increasing at an annual rate of 3.0 to 3.5 percent in the next 5 years. Ground mica will retain the leading position as the largest product segment, forecast to reach about 0.4 million tonnes by 2013. The US should remain the largest mica producer and consumer, followed by Canada and Europe. “Sulfur Market Review” reports that global sulfur production increased slightly in 2010 and is expected to steadily increase in the foreseeable future. During the economic downfall, demand steeped significantly across all key end-use markets. However, the Asia-Pacific region kept its steady growth and has shown the highest compound annual growth rate for the past 5 years. The global market is now being driven by expanding Asian production and is expected to reach nearly 70 million tonnes in the next 5 years. “Graphite Market Review” notes that global graphite demand is increasing, driving market expansion in India and other areas. The combination of conductivity and high thermal stability allow graphite to be used in many applications, including batteries, fuel cells, and refractories. The automotive and iron and steel industries retain top position as the key end-use application areas for global graphite use. Advances in technologies and the capability of producing good-quality and cost-effective graphite will help increase production and demand in the industry. For more information on these and other market reports, visit mcgroup.co.uk.

SAN JOSE, CA USA--The global market for coatings is expected to reach US$98.69 billion by 2015, driven by rapid industrialization, economic activity, and high demand from automotive and construction sectors in developing countries. In addition, technological and product developments, regulatory environments, and unique formulations will rekindle growth in the mature and developed markets of the US and Europe. This is according to “Coatings: A Global Strategic Business Report,” a study from Global Industry Analysts Inc. (GIA), an industrial market research company. Future developments in coatings will focus on new coating systems that will allow efficient use of lubricants. R&D in the OEM and industrial coatings industry is focused on design, color, and styling differences. Manufacturers are increasingly developing coating products to differentiate products from competitors, creating niche products. Nanotechnology has not yet been completely explored by coating manufacturers, but holds promise and is increasingly coming into focus for diverse reasons. The report is available for US$4,500 from GIA, press@strategyr.com, www.strategyr.com.

KENT, UK—The Wolfson Centre, part of the School of Engineering at the University of Greenwich, is running a program of short courses throughout 2012 designed to help engineers in the bulk solids handling industry. Course topics includes the basics of powder and bulk solids handling equipment operation, understanding bulk material behavior, and design and selection of plant components. For more information, including a complete list of courses and dates, and to register, visit www.bulksolids.com.

Note: Wolfson Centre's courses are also listed throughout the year on PBEInternational's website. Visit our homepage and click on “Industry Events” on the left side of the page for listings.

HOLLAND, OH USA--Plastic Technologies Inc. (PTI) has launched a new free app that calculates the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin blends using a two-step process. First, users must plug in the volume percentage and IV for each of the resins. Second, users input moisture information. The app then calculates the blended material's final IV. Called the PET Blend Calculator, the app is available in iPhone, iPad, and Android platforms. PTI offers preform and package design, package development, rapid prototyping, and other services for the plastic packaging industry.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI USA--Summit Training Source is offering “GHS: Chemical Labeling & Classification,” an interactive online course to help companies understand and stay in compliance with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) standard regarding the universal handling instructions for hazardous materials. In addition, Summit now offers more than 50 international language safety and compliance training courses on electrical safety, fall protection, and many other topics. For more information, visit www.safetyontheweb.com. Summit Training Source provides global safety and compliance training.

CLEVELAND, OH USA--Global demand for rare earths is expected to expand 7.1 percent annually to 180,000 metric tons in 2015, according to “World Rare Earths.” In dollar terms, sales are expected to more than triple from US$3 billion in 2010 to US$9.2 billion in 2015. Consumption will be driven by increases in the output of battery alloys, electronic products, motor vehicles, and permanent magnets. Neodymium and dysprosium will post the fastest growth rates of any rare earth types, spurred by increased sales of heat-resistant permanent magnets. Cerium will remain the most widely used rare earth, accounting for almost one-third of the 2015 tonnage total. Global demand for green packaging, which encompasses recycled content and reusable and degradable packaging, is expected to rise 5.7 percent annually to US$212 billion in 2015. According to “World Green Packaging,” while recycled content packaging will remain the largest product type, it will see the slowest growth due to market maturity. In contrast, reusable and degradable packaging will experience above-average demand. The Asia-Pacific region will see above-average gains and remain the largest regional market in the world, due to its large food and beverage industries that represent the main green packaging applications. Central and South America, Eastern Europe, and Africa and the Mideast region will also all experience above-average growth. The US is the largest national green packaging market in the world, accounting for nearly one-fourth of global sales. Each study is available for US$6,100 from industrial market research firm Freedonia Group Inc., pr@freedoniagroup.com, www.freedoniagroup.com.

TOLEDO, OH USA--For the second consecutive year, Owens Corning has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index in recognition of the company's sustainability initiatives. The index lists the top 10 percent of the world's largest companies based on long-term economic, environmental, and social criteria. For more information, visit www.sustainability.owenscorning.com. Owens Corning offers building materials systems and composite solutions.

LONDON, England--Huber Engineered Materials, a division of J.M. Huber Corp., has increased global prices for its precipitated silicas and silicates by up to 8 percent. Huber develops engineered specialty ingredients for products used in industrial, paper, and consumer-based applications.

WELLESLEY, MA USA--The global market value for ceramic matrix composites was US$870 million in 2010 and is expected to increase to nearly US$1.3 billion in 2015, for a 5-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3 percent. This is according to “Ceramic Matrix Composites: Technologies and Global Markets,” a study from BCC Research, an industrial market research group. Ceramic matrix composites are reinforced to improve the mechanical properties of materials, including thermal shock resistance and toughness. The ceramic matrix composites market can be broken down into four segments: The mechanical and chemical segment was valued at nearly US$315 million in 2010 and should reach US$466 million in 2015, a CAGR of 8.2 percent. The energy and environmental segment was valued at US$277 million in 2010 and should rise to $394 million in 2015, a CAGR of 7.3 percent. The aerospace and defense segment was worth US$158 million in 2010 and should be worth US$213 million in 2015, a CAGR of 6.1 percent. The remainder segment was worth US$120 million in 2010 and should reach US$222 million in 2015, a CAGR of 13.1 percent. The study is available for US$4,850 from BCC Research LLC, custsvc@bccresearch.com, www.bccresearch.com.

CHENNAI, India--PPG Industries Inc. has signed a letter of intent with Harsha Exito Engineering Private Ltd. to establish a joint venture for manufacturing and supplying fiber glass reinforcement products. The venture will be located in Tamil Nadu, India, and will primarily serve the Indian market to help drive demand for fiberglass in infrastructure, transportation, wind energy, and other applications. PPG, Pittsburgh, PA USA, manufactures and supplies glass fiber for nonwoven and textile applications. Harsha, Chennai, India, provides engineering, manufacturing, and project implementation solutions to the oil and gas, power, and process industries.

SÃO PAULO, Brazil--The Brazilian composite materials industry recently reported second-quarter earnings of US$440 million, a decrease of 1.7 percent compared to the first three months of 2011. Consumption of raw materials fell 1,400 tons to a total of 45,500 tons. These figures are part of the latest survey of Maxiquim, a consulting firm hired by the Brazilian Composite Materials Association (ABMACO). Second-quarter performance reports led Maxiquim to revise projections for the end of 2011. The company estimates that revenues will increase 7.9 percent in the composites sector, for a total of US $1.74 billion. In terms of volume, the company estimates that Brazil will process 211,000 tons, 3.2 percent more than in 2010. For more information, visit www.abmaco.org.br.com.

BIRMINGHAM, UK--The global market for flame-retardant chemicals will approach 1.9 million metric tons by 2012, amounting to an estimated value of US$5.1 billion. This is according to “Flame Retardant Chemicals -- A Global Market Overview,” a report by Market Publishers Ltd., an industrial market research company. Increased security measures and new regulatory guidelines for toxic chemicals are driving flame retardant demand. Nanotechnology is expected to be the next driving force in the context of improving performance. For more information and to purchase a copy of the report for US$3,960, visit www.marketpublishers.com.

BRUSSELS, Belgium--Dow Chemical Co. has increased its production capacity of polyolefin encapsulant films by opening two new production lines in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, and Schkopau, Germany. With this expansion, Dow plans to triple production of it specialty films used in photovoltaic and other applications. Dow is a global chemical company.

CANBERRA, Australia—Dr. Jane Sargison has won the Australian Professional Engineer of the Year Award. Sargison, BMT WGM, is a specialist in turbines and energy systems. The announcement was made at the Engineering Excellence Awards, held in Canberra, Austrailia, this November.

HANAU, Germany--Evonik Industries has sold its acrylate-based plastic additives and plastisols business unit, including two production plants in Wesseling, Germany, to the Kaneka Corp., a Japanese chemical company. Evonik is a global specialty chemicals supplier.

SHANGHAI, China--Corning Inc. and the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SICCAS) have opened a joint research facility in Jiading, China. The facility will explore and research thermoelectric technologies and high-performance materials. Corning, Brussels, Belguim, is a global producer of specialty glass and ceramics.

LONDON, England--The global market for medical ceramics is estimated at US$10.4 billion in 2011 and is projected to increase to US$13.1 billion by 2017, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.5 percent. This is according to “Medical Ceramics -- A Global Market Overview,” a report from MarketResearch.com, an industrial market research company. Ceramic technology developments have contributed heavily to the development of implantable electronic devices, and biocompatibility and wear resistance have made ceramic materials suitable for many medical implant applications. The report, which is available for US$3,600, examines the market for aluminum oxide, zirconia, zirconia alumina, and more. For more information, visit www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?ProductID=6424613.