Displaying items by tag: Texas
Cemex USA acquires Beck Readymix Concrete
17 February 2021US: Cemex USA has acquired Beck Readymix Concrete. The ready-mix producer operates three concrete plants in San Antonio, Texas and an additional portable plant.
Texas Regional President Scott Ducoff said, “Texas is experiencing explosive growth and Cemex has repeatedly shown it is ready to make moves to help fuel it. By acquiring these facilities, Cemex will be able to deliver our high-quality products that many Texans are already familiar with to satisfy the high demand of customers of one of the state’s most dynamic markets. We welcome our new employees and look forward to a smooth transition for them.”
Cemex USA makes grants to over 80 non-profit organisations as part of coronavirus relief effort
29 December 2020US: Cemex USA has delivered grants via the Cemex Foundation to over 80 non-profit organisations so far in 2020 as part of its coronavirus relief efforts. The funds donated by Cemex USA employees have provided more than a quarter million meals to those facing food insecurity and overall have positively impacted more than 200,000 people in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Florida. The initiative also supplied more than 20,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical staff and first responders.
“Covid-19 has created far-reaching impacts and unparalleled challenges, prompting thousands of families to request additional support for food and shelter while they continuously worry about the health and safety of themselves and their loved ones. At Cemex USA, we wanted to help our neighbours and communities during this unprecedented time,” said Cemex USA president Jaime Muguiro. “The help provided by non-profits right now is critical, and we are proud to be able to deliver significant support for their initiatives that are making a difference in our communities.”
Organisations that have benefited from the grants include: United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) in Birmingham, Alabama; Feeding South Florida in Florida; Feed the Frontline Houston in Houston, Texas; Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF) in Lyons, Colorado; House of Refuge in South Mesa, Arizona; and Heart of Los Angeles Youth (HOLA) in Los Angeles, California.
Cemex USA partners with Membrane Technology & Research for government-funded Balcones cement plant carbon capture study
10 November 2020US: The Department of Energy has granted Cemex funding to “research and develop innovative carbon capture technology” at its Balcones, Texas cement plant. The company says that this will partly fund an 18-month feasibility study of partner company Membrane Technology & Research’s membrane carbon capture product at the plant. It says that, if successful, the study will be “an important advancement towards Cemex’s ambition to deliver net-zero carbon dioxide (CO2) concrete globally by 2050.”
USA president Jaime Muguiro said, “At Cemex, sustainability is embedded in our operations and we are consistently looking for opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint. We strive to develop and gradually adapt new technology which will help us achieve our ambition to deliver net-zero CO2 concrete to all of our customers. With this grant, we will be able to leverage our expertise to define the feasibility of implementing the membrane carbon capture technology in a cost-effective manner.”
Membrane Technology & Research has supplied membrane-based separation systems to the petrochemical, natural gas, and refining industries since 1992. Vice President of Technology Tim Merkel said, “Cement plant emissions are a good target for the CO2 capture membrane technology that we’ve been developing with Department of Energy support.” He added, “We look forward to working with Cemex on this exciting project to confirm that our technology can capture cement plant emissions at a minimal cost.”
PCA names Energy and Environment Award 2020 winners
18 September 2020US: The Portland Cement Association has announced the winners of the Energy Environment Awards 2020. Cementos Argos’ 1.1Mt/yr Harleyville, South Carolina cement plant won the Energy Efficiency Award “by reducing kiln specific heat consumption and increasing the utilisation of the new vertical cement mill,” while CRH subsidiary Ash Grove Cement’s 1.0Mt/yr Midlothian cement plant won the Environmental Performance Award for “operating a whole-tyre burning system utilising a first-in-the-US hot disk system supplied with whole tyres from a nearby tyre recycling company.” Other winners were GCC’s 0.9Mt/yr Odessa, Texas cement plant for Innovation, LafargeHolcim’s 2.2Mt/yr Holly Hill, South Carolina plant for Land Stewardship, Titan Cement's Roanoke Cement Troutville plant for Outreach and HeidelbergCement subsidiary Lehigh Hanson’s 3.2Mt/yr Union Bridge, Maryland plant for Overall Environmental Excellence.
PCA president and chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Ireland said, “America’s cement manufacturers continue to focus on researching and developing new and innovative ways to reduce environmental footprint. The companies receiving these awards are great examples of our industry’s commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency.”
Argonaut Private Equity buys well cement business from BJ Services
07 September 2020US: Argonaut Private Equity has acquired a well cement business following the bankruptcy of Texas-based BJ Services. The purchase retains 260 employees and procures company assets and equipment, including bulk plants and technical labs located in the field. No fracturing assets were acquired in the acquisition. It has rebranded the business as American Cementing.
“The addition of American Cementing to the Argonaut Private Equity portfolio combines our expertise in efficient operations management with our experience in the oil and gas industry,” said Steve Mitchell, Argonaut’s chief executive officer (CEO).
American Cementing services include laboratory testing, blending at the bulk plant and mixing and pumping operations at the wellsite. Additionally, the company offers acidising services and products that are intended to enhance production and remove well-bore damage to preserve well lifetime.
Container explodes at concrete plant
10 August 2020US: A container at the Jobe Materials concrete plant in El Paso, Texas exploded early on 9 August 2020, causing damage to communication wires at the plant. KVIA News has reported that there were no injuries, nor any damage to buildings, resulting from the explosion. Fire services are investigating the incident.
US: Cemex has announced that its De Zavala and Tyler cement terminals, both in Texas, have received the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star certification for energy efficiency. The De Zavala terminal reduced its energy intensity by 53% between June 2015 and June 2020, while the Tyler terminal reduced its intensity by 39% over the same period, both exceeding their five-year targets of a 10% reduction.
US: Lhoist North America has received permit approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to build a new lime kiln at its Marble Falls plant. The new vertical kiln, which is expected to be operational in 2021, is primarily driven by growing demand for Lhoist's dolomitic lime products for the steel industry. The upgrade is also expected to create new jobs at the site.
"This project at Marble Falls aligns with our company's commitment to environmentally sustainable growth," said Ron Thompson, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Lhoist North America. The building materials company added that, despite the impacts of coronavirus on the economy, it is investing to create jobs and meet critical supply chain demands, like steel production, which support future infrastructure growth in North America.
Çimsa launches white cement product at World of Concrete trade fair
12 February 2020US: Turkey’s Çimsa has launched a new white cement product for the US market at the World of Concrete trade fair in Las Vegas. The subsidiary of Sabancı Holding has showcased its Çimsa Aluminates and Çimsa Super White product ranges.
“As one of the largest grey cement producers of Turkey, Çimsa is among the top three in the global league of white cement. We have increased our visibility in the global cement industry through our investments abroad,” said, Çimsa’s chief executive officer (CEO) Ülkü Özcan. He added that the cement producer founded its Cimsa Americas Cement Manufacturing and Sales Corp in the US in 2017. It then started operations at a grinding mill in Houston, Texas in 2019.
Grupo Cementos plans 100% renewable power at Odessa cement plant
13 September 2019US: Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua’s 0.9Mt/yr integrated cement plant in Odessa, Texas, will run entirely on wind and solar power. Adpren has reported that the company engaged an unnamed energy provider on a 10-year power purchase agreement for the entirety of its electricity consumption, beginning in July 2022. This will cut 45,000t/yr of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and represents a saving of US$4.6m in energy costs over its period of effect, a saving of 22% annually compared to Grupo Cemento’s current bill.