Displaying items by tag: Germany
Schenck Process fights coronavirus disruption in 2020
19 March 2021Germany: Schenck Process reported operating sales of Euro592m in 2020, down by 6% year-on-year from Euro632m in 2019. Adjusted group earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 11% to Euro91.4m from Euro102m. New orders for the year totalled Euro619m, down by 6% from Euro659m, but rose by under 1% to Euro292m from Euro291m in the Americas region. Demand for aftermarket service also fell, partly due to reduced production output and capacity utilisation in the global cement industry. The supplier said that construction and steel were also ‘hard hit.’ It attributed the decline to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on markets and customer demand. Corrective actions ‘partly mitigated’ the effects of this on income.
The group said that staff reduction have led to lower personnel expenses in the first quarter of the 2021 financial year.
Flender leaves Siemens and launches new supplier portal
19 March 2021Germany: Flender says it has resumed trading as an ‘independent’ company following the completion of its sale by Siemens to Carlyle Group for Euro2.04bn. The mechanical and electrical drive system supplier said that its existing contract remained unchanged, adding, “With our skilled employees, excellent range of products, and a growth-oriented new owner, we are in an ideal position to act even more effectively.”
The ownership change coincides with the launch of Flender’s new Jaegger Direct supplier portal. The portal succeeds SCM Star, the tool used by Simens, in handling requests for quotation, tender management and company profile data. The company asked customers to register with Jaggaer Direct to confirm the transfer of their data from SCM Star. It said that it will dispatch email invitations and login links in the coming days.
Cemex Zement establishes Carbon Neutral Alliance to achieve net zero emissions at Rüdersdorf cement plant
18 March 2021Germany: Mexico-based Cemex subsidiary Cemex Zement has set up an innovation acceleration partnership called Carbon Neutral Alliance to support its work to achieve net zero CO2 emissions at its Rüdersdorf cement plant by 2030. The association will work to develop industrial-scale demonstration projects in line with the company’s Future in Action programme. Its scope will include carbon capture and storage (CCS), the transformation of captured CO2 into building materials, synthetic fuels and green hydrocarbons, hydrogen production and waste heat recovery (WHR). Cemex plans to share the knowledge gained by the alliance across its global cement network.
Managing director and Rüdersdorf plant manager Stefan Schmorleiz said, "It is expected that CO2 will be further processed to convert to new forms of energy and materials for use locally by industrial, residential, and transport sectors. Together with our partners, we will take feasibility studies through to economic solutions to decarbonising cement production.”
Germany: ThyssenKrupp says that the four cement producer members of Cement Innovation for Climate (CI4C) are preparing to launch an industrial-scale trial of its Polysius Pure Oxyfuel carbon capture and storage (CCS) process. The renewably-powered process produces ‘refuel’ synthetic fuels such as kerosene for aviation.
Senior Proposal Manager Markus Sauer said,“CI4C and ThyssenKrupp are currently investigating the use of our polysius pure oxyfuel technology in a demonstration plant. Working with our long-standing customers, we would be delighted if we could demonstrate the efficiency of our technology for the first time on an industrial scale. By using this technology, the cement industry could significantly reduce its process-related CO2 emissions and thus make an important contribution to climate protection.”
UK: Germany-based HeidelbergCement subsidiary Hanson has received the green light for its planned carbon capture and storage (CCS) study at its Padeswood cement plant in Flintshire after its partner, the HyNet North West consortium received Euro84m in funding. The study will support a design basis and cost estimate for a carbon capture unit at the cement plant and a connection to the planned HyNet North West CO2 transport and storage system. Euro46m of the funding came from consortium partners while Euro38m came from a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge grant.
Hanson chief executive officer Simon Willis said, “Today’s funding announcement is fantastic news for everyone involved in HyNet North West. Cutting CO2 emissions is a key priority for us, and we are excited to be one of the first UK cement producers working on carbon capture and storage (CCS) as part of this collaborative project.” He added, “We’ve taken big steps towards reducing carbon emissions and have set ourselves an ambitious target of achieving a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030, based on 1990 levels, and net zero carbon concrete by 2050. CCS at cement plants is a key part of our roadmap to net zero.”
Aumund wins equipment contract for three new UltraTech Cement plants and six grinding plants
17 March 2021India: UltraTech Cement has selected Germany-based Aumund to supply conveyors, elevators and feeders for its ‘Project Spring’ expansion project to increase its installed production capacity to 130Mt/yr of cement from 117Mt/yr.
The expansion project includes three integrated cement production units in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, each with capacities of up to 10,000t/day. For these kiln lines, Aumund India will supply clinker cooler extraction conveyors as well as the transfer conveyors to the clinker silos. Six cement grinding plants in various locations in India are also part of the capacity expansion plans.
Aumund will supply six pan conveyors, 11 Samson material feeders and 68 bucket elevators including up to 157m-high kiln feed bucket elevators, up to 2200t/hr roller press recirculation bucket elevators and clinker and cement handling bucket elevators, among other products. The order is one of the largest to date for Aumund India.
Lehigh Hanson and Fortera to install carbon capture and storage system at Redding cement plant in California
12 March 2021US: Lehigh Hanson has signed a collaboration agreement with materials technology company Fortera. Under the agreement, the companies will establish a carbon capture and storage (CCS) system at the producer’s 0.8Mt/yr integrated Redding Cement plant in Shasta district, California. The system will produce a cementitious material for use in concrete production. The material will be the first of its kind to be produced at a cement plant.
"This collaboration with Lehigh Hanson will prove the commercial scalability, the quality of the final product, and the competitive economics of the Fortera process," said Ryan Gilliam, chief executive officer and co-founder of Fortera. He added that the Fortera process (ReCarb) has been designed to utilise the existing cement infrastructure, from the quarry to the kiln, but with less CO2 emissions, lower energy, and lower processing temperatures, leading to 60% lower CO2 emissions per tonne of product.
Refratechnik and Höganäs Borgestad start strategic agreement for supply of refractory products to Nordic countries
10 March 2021Germany/Sweden: Refratechnik Group and Sweden-based Höganäs Borgestad Group have started a strategic agreement for the supply of refractory products to customers in Nordic countries. Höganäs Borgestad customers will now have direct access to the product range and application knowledge of the Refratechnik Group. The refractory suppliers said that their arrangement, “underscores the desire of both companies for long-term, sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships; resulting in a secure supply of top-quality product for the customer.”
Germany-based Refratechnik Group operates refractory and industrial mineral businesses, with over 1900 employees in 27 locations worldwide. Sweden-based Höganäs Borgestad is the largest refractory company in the Nordic region providing installation services and refractory materials to many industries.
Schenck Process launches CONiQ cloud-based data product
09 March 2021Germany: Schenck Process has launched CONiQ, a cloud-based software product designed to access data from machines. The company said that it builds the foundation for all digital services of Schenck Process, enabling data-driven maintenance and performance optimisation. Users are able to monitor equipment using CONiQ’s integrated knowledge base. The supplier said that the product will open up ‘new functionalities’ for various cement plant equipment. Its first version will focus on vibrating screens and provide dashboards and functions to improve condition monitoring.
Germany: Former HeidelbergCement technical director Rainer Nobis has published a book entitled Illustrated History of Cement and Concrete. The over 300-page volume traces the development of cement and concrete from prehistory to the present day, exploring the question of how cement and concrete came to be so closely intertwined with our prosperity, way of life and mobility. It is both a technical history and a story of the people who contributed to the development and application of cement and concrete. Nobis described the book as of interest both to cement experts and laypeople. More than 700 pictures accompany the text. Its first edition is available in English and German versions.