Displaying items by tag: Plant
Russia: LafargeHolcim Russia has appointed Andrey Polezhaev as the director of its integrated Schurovsky plant in Kolomna, Kaluga Oblast. He previously worked at the plant, from 2015 to 2017, as head of the repair service and has worked for the group since 1998.
The Schurovsky plant celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2020. Located close to Moscow, it has supplied cement for many well known infrastructure projects in the region including the reconstruction of the Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the construction of runways at Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports, the modernisation of the Kaluzhskoe highway and the creation of the Central Ring Road. It is also the only plant in Russia that produces white cement.
Canada/US: Brazil-based Votorantim Cimentos and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) have completed the transaction to merge their cement operations in North America. After having obtained regulatory approval from authorities in Brazil, Canada and the US, St Marys Cement (Canada), a wholly owned subsidiary of Votorantim Cimentos can now commence with the integration process with McInnis Cement. As part of the transaction, the parties will combine their North American assets in a jointly-held entity. Votorantim Cimentos International, the international investments platform and wholly owned subsidiary of Votorantim Cimentos, will hold 83% and CDPQ will indirectly hold 17% of the shares.
The combined entity will comprise operations in Bowmanville and St Marys, in Ontario, Canada and in Detroit and Charlevoix in Michigan, Dixon in Illinois and Badger in Wisconsin in the US, along with a distribution network concentrated in the Great Lakes region - plus the Port-Daniel–Gascons plant and its distribution operations, including terminals located in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Northeastern region of the US.
Government considering sale of Oman Cement
05 May 2021Oman: The government is reportedly considering selling its majority stake in Oman Cement. Unnamed sources quoted by Bloomberg say that the authorities have been discussing the matter with financial advisors but that no final decision has been reached. The government owns a 54% stake in the cement producer through the Oman Investment Authority.
In separate reporting, Oman Cement Company has postponed its proposed US$250m Duqm cement plant project while it confirms the availability of fuel. In March 2021 the cement producer issued a tender for a related power plant project, according to the Muscat Daily newspaper. The proposed plant will have a clinker production capacity of 5000t/day.
Nigeria: Dangote Cement’s revenue grew by 35.5% year-on-year to US$874m in the first quarter of 2021 from US$655m in the same period in 2020. Cement sales volumes rose by 18.7% to 7.5Mt from 6.3Mt. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 56% to US$468m from US$300m. Revenue and sales volumes increased fastest in Nigeria but earnings increased faster in the rest of Africa.
“We took the strategic decision to pause our clinker exports to ensure we meet the rapid volume growth in the Nigerian domestic market. We are improving the output of our existing and new assets and aim to recommence clinker exports in the second quarter,” said Michel Puchercos, the company’s chief executive officer. He added that the company had also ramped-up its new 3Mt/yr Obajana Line 5.
Jaiprakash Associates suspends operations at plants in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh due to coronavirus
05 May 2021India: Jaiprakash Associates has suspended operations at its cement plants in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh from 1 May 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The company say it will continue maintenance activities of these plants during this time. It described the situation as ‘dynamic’ and plans to resume operations after ongoing analysis.
Laos: Workers at the Guestown-Lao cement plant have been paid back wages in a dispute. All 170 employees owed money by the Guestown-Lao company plant in Luang Prabang province’s Nam Bak district have now received US$42,000 from the plant’s new owner, according to Radio Free Asia. Some of the former employees of the plant have also returned to work under the new management.
Provincial authorities detained the Chinese owner of the Guestown-Lao plant in April 2021, accused him of failing to pay wages to his Lao workers in November 2020 and subsequently filed criminal charges against him. He is now awaiting trial on the charges. The company has since been taken over by China-based Jian Qe.
Argentina: Holcim Argentina, part of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim, has completed a US$120m upgrade at its integrated Malagueño cement plant in Córdoba province. In a meeting with the Minister of Productive Development, Matías Kulfas, the cement producer said it was planning in inaugurate a newly refurbished 0.51Mt/yr production line at the site later in May 2021. The work also included adding a vertical roller mill and new bagging area with a capacity of 120,000bags/day. The project was originally announced in late 2017 and Germany-based KHD was awarded a related contract in early 2018.
Cemex España reopens Lloseta cement plant
04 May 2021Spain: Cemex España reopened its Lloseta cement plant in Majorca in mid-April 2021. The unit will start by operating at a low production level until demand levels build, according to the El País newspaper. The plant intends to use alternative fuels such as biomass to reduce its CO2 emissions. It is also working with the Power to Green Hydrogen Mallorca project to use ‘green’ hydrogen created partly using solar energy. The plant now employs 20 people, compared to 96 before its closure in January 2019.
New white cement plant for Cemix
30 April 2021Russia: Cemix, a subsidiary of the Austrian firm Lasselsberger, is preparing to open its new white cement plant to open in Abzelilovsky District of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Volga. The first batch of cement will be manufactured in May 2021, with the plant expected to be fully commissioned in August 2021. The design capacity is 700t/day of cement, with plans to increase to 1000t/day in the future, depending on demand.
Saudi Arabia: Arabian Cement has placed an order with Denmark-based FLSmidth for the supply of equipment for an upgrade of its Rabigh cement plant. The order includes new DDX top cyclones, a quenching chamber and an ABC Cooler Inlet. Installation and commissioning is expected to be during the fourth quarter of 2021.
Arabian Cement’s chief executive officer Badr Osama Johar said, “With FLSmidth having provided the original line, they were the obvious candidate for the upgrade - we wanted a trusted partner who knows the ins and outs of the plant and is able to secure the success of the upgrade.” The producer previously engaged the company for the supply of its Rabigh plant’s kiln in 2008.