The week's business headlines

Apogee ups outlook for fiscal 2007
Officials from Apogee Enterprises Inc. in Minneapolis raised the company’s projected 2007 earnings from $1.04 to $1.10 per share due to strong performance in the company’s fourth quarter that ends March 3, according to a Feb. 12 company release.

"We now anticipate that our revenues will be near the top of our prior range of 12 to 15 percent growth, with all of our businesses performing at or better than expectations," said Russell Huffer, chairman and chief executive officer, in the release … read more

Safti First wins $1 million in patent case
A judge awarded San Francisco-based Safti First $1 million in a patent infringement case against Jerry’s Glass of Beverly Hills, Calif., and its subsidiary businesses, according to a Feb. 9 Safti First release… read more

Nippon Sheet Glass sales jump after Pilkington acquisition
Officials at Japan’s Nippon Sheet Glass Co. announced group sales and profit grew sharply in the first three quarters of fiscal 2006 due to acquisition of Britain’s Pilkington as a consolidated subsidiary in June, according to a Feb. 5 article in redOrbit.com.

Nippon’s net profit for April-December last year was $233 million, up 386.9 percent over a year earlier, and sales increased 154.3 percent to $4.02 billion, according to the article … read more

Advanced Energy reports big gains
Officials from Advanced Energy Industries of Fort Collins, Colo., announced Feb. 7 that 2006 sales reached $410.7 million, a 26 percent increase over 2005, according to a company release the same day.
The business reported $88.3 million in net income for the year, up from $12.8 million in 2005, according to the release.

Despite the year-over-year gains, there was a slight decline in sales and profits during the fourth quarter of 2006. Fourth quarter sales fell 3 percent from the third quarter, and operating profits dropped from $18.3 million in the third quarter to $16.6 million, according to the release … read more

Sisecam secures $71.5 credit extension for new float line
Turkish float glass manufacturer Sisecam received a project credit amount of $71.5 million from the European Investment Bank, according to a Feb. 12 article from The New Anatolian.

The company will use the funds to build a second float glass line and coating line at its Yenisehir, Bursa, float facility, according to the article … read more

Octillion moves forward with solar window technology
Octillion Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia, has taken several steps forward in the development of nanosilicon photovoltaic technology that would allow glass windows to generate solar electricity, according to a Feb. 7 company release.

The technology allows windows applied with the nanofilm to generate electricity without jeopardizing transparency, according to the release … read more

Sales, profits, up for Australia’s Flat Glass Industries Ltd.
Officials from Australia’s Flat Glass Industries Ltd. predict the company will see a 5 percent increase in 2006 first half profits, according to a Feb. 7 article in the Geelong Advertiser in Australia… read more