The week's business headlines

Sales up 18.5 percent for Saint-Gobain in 2006
Officials at France’s Saint-Gobain announced final 2006 financial results confirming figures published at end of January 2007, according to a March 22 moneycentral.msn.com article.

Results show sales up 18.5 percent to $55.4 million, operating income up 29.9 percent to $4.9 million, and net income up 32.6 percent to $2.3 million, according to the release.

For full report, click here.

Glass workers protest Australian owner's refusal to compromise
Union workers at the MetroGlass factory in Auckland, New Zealand, protested the new Australian owner's refusal to agree on an adequate redundancy provision in their contracts, according to a March 23 scoop.co.nz article.

Australian speculator Catalyst Investments recently bought MetroGlass for over $350 million, a move that surprised workers, according to the article … read more

Applied Materials to supply production line to Spanish solar company
Officials from Applied Materials Inc. in Santa Clara, Calif., announced the company will provide a thin-film solar module production line using glass panels to T-Solar Global S.A. of Spain, according to a March 21 Applied Materials release.

The production line will produce modules for installations including commercial rooftops and solar farms, according to the release … read more

Builders take on sun challenges when going green in Houston
Architects in the Houston area say building green requires additional thought when dealing with the city’s beating sun and high temperatures, according to a March 18 article in the Houston Chronicle.

Paying careful attention to a structure’s directional orientation as well as using elements such as reflective siding and overhangs can provide shading and drastically reduce heat gain, according to the article … read more

Emirates Glass awarded several high-profile installations
Emirates Glass LLC of Dubai was contracted to supply more than 75,000 square meters of glass for several Gulf projects, including Index Tower in Dubai, according to a March 17 report from AME Info … read more