Established 1918. Specialize in ball clays for dinnerware, refractories, sanitaryware, tile, porcelain, glazes and other ceramics manufacturing. Clay products available in air-floated, shredded, mechanically dried and slurry forms. Mine, mill and processing plants at Hickory, Ky., and Gleason, Tenn. Headquarters and complete ceramics lab at Hickory, Ky. ISO 9001:2000 certified.
Manufacture a line of standardized pyrometric devices used to measure heat work applied during the high-temperature processing of materials, a line of thermoanalytical instruments designed to measure high-temperature properties of ceramic and glass materials, and provide an array of materials-testing services.
Produce various grades of whole grain and ground silica for use in the glass, whiteware, enameling and ceramic powder industries. Plants in Ohio, Texas and California.
Produce glass and plastic packaging systems for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries for commercial and retail use. Consulting/purchasing agreements available for technical assistance to noncompetitive glass producers and users.
Offer a range of materials-characterization capabilities, including electron microscopy, microchemical characterization and crystal structure analysis by X-rays and neutrons. Perform mechanical and thermophysical property measurement as well as wear testing and advanced grinding evaluations.
Manufacture spectral instrumentation, precision optics and optical components for on-line and lab UV-VIS-NIR applications. Optical-sensing sysems also can be configured for testing a variety of ceramic materials, components and coatings.
Offer variety of analytical techniques to maintain and improve the quality of electronic components, printed circuit boards and ceramics packaging. Services include internal vapor analysis, optical adhesive qualification, outgassing/impurities, identification, failure analysis, surface analysis and material characterization. Analytical instrumentation includes IVA/RGA, ICP/MS, FTIR, GC/MS, C-SAM, FeSEM, SEM/EDS, Auger, and real time X-ray.
Develop and produce worldwide advanced technical ceramics. Provide a wide selection of technical and advanced ceramics to improve and extend the performance of the customer product, process or system. Benefits include high-temperature stability, hard and wear-resistant surfaces, improved stiffness to weight radiations, anticorrosive barriers and low thermal expansion rates.
