Displaying items by tag: development
Libya: Ahmed Abuhisa, the Minister of Industry and Minerals, has laid the foundation stone for a new cement plant at Al-Shahba. Al-Shahba Cement and National Mining Corporation have signed a deal to build the 1Mt/yr plant in Cyrenaica region, according to the Libya Herald newspaper. The project is part of the ministry’s plan to localise industry in the country, provide job opportunities for young people and drive development. Al-Shahba, which is 100km from the city of Tobruk, is without paved roads and suffers from water scarcity, limited electricity access and the loss of public services.
Pakistan: The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) has received a request from the Pakistan government to lower cement prices. The International News newspaper has reported that Finance and Revenue Minister Shaukat Tarin spoke with APCMA representatives about trends in cement pricing in the three years prior to August 2021 and the importance of cement in stimulating economic growth. Tarin encouraged the establishment of a consultative session between the association and relevant stakeholders, with the task of proposing a sustainable pricing mechanism.
Holcim El Salvador launches new-formula Cuscatlán cement
25 August 2020El Salvador: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Holcim El Salvador has announced an alteration to the composition of its flagship product, Cuscatlán cement, developed in laboratories in France and Mexico. Strategic marketing manager Amalia Palacios said, “The new formula offers the end user higher quality and less waste, that is to say a yield of around 20% more for the same price, so that we are improving quality without an impact on the customer's pocket."
Flender announces upcoming Australian facility
29 April 2020Australia: Germany-based Siemens subsidiary Flender has published plans for a drives production plant in the Tonkin Highway Industrial Estate, West Australia. The plant will serve the gear needs of the energy, minerals and cement industries. The unit is equipped with a 1.5MW test bench capable of testing drive systems of up to 6.6kV. Flender Australia chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director Kareem Emara said, “Western Australia has been an excellent market for us in the recent years. It’s only natural for us to reinvest in this key market and be where our customers are to offer them the combined brains trust of over 50 facilities worldwide through this new state-of-the-art centre.”
Germany: Lubricants specialist Fuchs has announced its collaboration with chemicals company BASF in performing a cradle-to-grave analysis of different mineral oil hydraulic fluids that takes into account all environmental and economic aspects of their lifecycle. The study concluded that high performance multigrade hydraulic oil (HVLP) has a lower environmental impact and lower overall cost than monograde hydraulic oil (HLP). Fuchs said, “This advantage is mainly based on an improved diesel fuel economy throughout the use phase - primarily due to improved volumetric fluid efficiency, lower friction and lower fluid mass circulation ratio.”
Fuchs and BASF both supply lubricants and chemical products to the cement industry.
Schwenk Zement acquires Celitement
09 April 2020Germany: Hydraulic calcium hydrosilicate (hCHS)-based cement producer Celitement has gone from being a Schwenk-affiliated company to a full subsidiary of the 5.76Mt/yr integrated capacity cement producer. Celitement plans to upgrade its pilot plant at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Baden-Württemberg, to increase production capacity. When this is completed, it will offer ‘single-digit tonne’ deliveries to ‘select investors’ and begin ‘large-scale practical testing.’ These will determine the feasibility of establishing an industrial Celitement plant.
Celitement was set up in 2009 to develop novel construction materials based on several patents for hCHS binding agents.
Japan: Taiheiyo Cement has set out the measures by which it aims to achieve its July 2019 target to ‘reduce net CO2 emissions per unit of cement production’ by 80% between 2000 and 2050. The measures consist of: the introduction of energy-saving equipment, the promotion of alternative fuels (AFs) and the development of lower-CO2 cements, accounting for a minimum 15% reduction; development and introduction of new technologies to the production process, targeting especially indirect emissions by modernising energy sources, accounting for a minimum 15% reduction; assumption of future technologies, accounting for a minimum 50% reduction.
Russian consumption rises by 9.6% year-on-year in January 2020
11 February 2020Russia: Russian producers sold 2.4Mt of cement in January 2020, up by 9.6% from 2.2Mt in January 2019. This is in line with Unioncement’s optimistic forecast of 6% year-on-year demand growth. The coming construction season promises sustained growth due to the planned renovation of housing stock, the implementation of integrated development projects and an increased share of roads built using cement concrete, in line with the country’s 2020 Housing and Urban Environment programme and President Putin’s social initiatives.
Cemex receives Port of Gijón terminal concession
27 December 2019Spain: The Port Authority of Gijón granted Cemex España a 30-year concession for use of 2480m2 of the El Musel terminal for unloading, storage and bagging on 20 December 2019, subject to the Mexican company’s use of the facilities for a minimum of 50,000t/yr of cement and derived products for the first two years of the arrangement, 0.1Mt/yr for the subsequent three years, and 0.15Mt/yr thereafter. La Nueva España newspaper has reported that Cemex España applied for the concession in February 2019. Its plans consist of a Euro5.0m investment in a development including two 6000t-capacity silos, a 44m crane and bagging facilities. Cemex España will take an estimated 10 months to complete the works from beginning the project in early 2020.
Odisha state government announces 27 projects
03 December 2019India: The government of the state of Odisha will invest US$1.25bn in infrastructure development, including construction of several industrial facilities. These will include a 1.0Mt/yr integrated plant owned by JSW Cement subsidiary Shiva Cement and a total of 4.0Mt/yr grinding capacity in new Shiva Cement and Shree Cement plants. The projects will source their cement from Odisha’s existing installed capacity of 7.3Mt/yr, consisting of 3.8Mt/yr integrated and 3.5Mt/yr grinding capacity at plants owned and operated by Dalmia Bharat’s OCC India, Toshali Cement, UltraTech Cement and Lafarge Holcim’s ACC Cement.