‘Most clicked’ news stories on GlassMagazine.com*

*From July 10, 2012, to press time, August 9, 2012. 

Primaries, fabricators announce glass price increases amidst rising costs

Citing increased raw material, labor, transportation and utility costs, NSG Group-Pilkington North America, PPG Industries Inc. and Guardian Industries Corp. announced they would implement price increases ranging from 3 percent to 15 percent in August. Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope and Viracon also raised prices in August, according to letters sent to customers.

Glassworks embezzler sentenced to 10 years in prison

Latrisha Riedling, 43, the former chief financial officer of Glassworks and Architectural Glass Art, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for embezzling $726,907 from the two companies, according to an Aug. 1 courier-journal.com report.

AGC placed on CreditWatch negative after revising FY2012 sales forecast

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services placed the long- and short-term ratings on Asahi Glass Co. on CreditWatch with negative implications, July 18. "We believe the likelihood the company will swiftly restore its financial soundness to levels commensurate with the current ratings has fallen because worsening external conditions have extended weakness in the profits of the company's core architectural glass operations in Europe and flat panel display glass operations, in our view," Standard & Poor's officials are quoted as saying in a July 18 Reuters report.

PPG to implement price increases

In a July 10 letter to customers, Mark Seeton, director, Sales and Marketing, PPG Flat Glass, stated that effective Aug.6, 2012, PPG Industries Inc. would implement price increases on several products.

Layoffs ahead at NSG Group float plant in Laurinburg, N.C.

As many as 75 people will be laid off at the NSG Group float glass plant in Laurinburg, N.C., following its decision to idle one of two lines, according to a July 11 report from The Laurinburg Exchange. The idling process is expected to be complete between August and September, according to NSG officials.

Judge dismisses PPG lawsuit against Jeld-Wen

A judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania dismissed PPG Industries' lawsuit against Jeld-Wen alleging breach of a license agreement. Both parties requested July 18 that the suit be dismissed with prejudice.

Canadian officials investigating alleged dumping of unitized wall modules from China

The Canada Border Services Agency announced, July 16, that it is investigating alleged dumping and subsidizing of certain unitized wall modules from China. The companies that filed the complaint allege that the dumping and subsidizing of these goods are harming Canadian production by causing lost sales, price erosion, price suppression, reduced profitability, loss of market share, reduced employment and underutilization of capacity.

Viracon to re-open Statesboro, Ga., manufacturing facility

Viracon officials announced the fabricator would re-open its Statesboro, Ga., manufacturing facility; employees returned to work and production resumed, August 13. The facility will bring its workforce back in three phases, concluding in late September.

Apple continues pushing boundaries of glass for architectural applications

The recent re-opening of Apple's SoHo, New York City, flagship store revealed a newly remodeled space featuring a glass staircase with sides that are made from a zigzagging, yet continuous, seam-free piece of glass that looks to exceed 30 feet at its longest point, according to a July 17 core 77 article.