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Nepal: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology has imposed a range of quality control and certification measures upon the local cement sector. The changes are intended to improve the quality local products, according to the Kathmandu Post newspaper. The new rules include making it mandatory to include expiry dates on cement packaging. This should not be more than three months after the date of manufacture. A date for the implementation of the new rule has not been set yet.
The standards bureau has set up changes to allow domestic cement to be labelled under 33, 43 and 53 grades under government-set criteria. Previously, cement producers were free to label their own products. It has also requested that manufacturers laminate cement sacks according to new regulations.
Bangladesh: Bashundhara Industrial Complex will supply up to 45,000t of cement for the construction of a dual fuel-fired combined cycle power station at Meghnaghat in Narayanganj. It has signed a deal with China Energy Engineering Group Northeast No 1 Electric Power (NEPC) for the project. The power plant will have a net generation capacity of 590MW using regasified liquid natural gas or 541MW using high-speed diesel.
Germany: Holcim Deutschland has opened a new 110,000Mm3 ready-mixed concrete plant at Weil am Rhein in Baden-Württemberg. The unit was biult in nine months. It had an investment of around Euro4m. Lars Essert willl manage the plant.
Keystone Cement to convert Bath plant to gas firing 23 July 2019
US: Keystone Cement plans to convert its Bath cement plant in Pennsylvania to gas firing from coal. The project will cost US$2.2m, with a US$0.32m grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, according to the Express-Times newspaper. Gas supplier UGI Utilities will work with Keystone to install a new underground gas line from an existing substation to a new substation at the plant. The project is scheduled for competition by mid-2020.
Argentina: Sergio Faifman, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Loma Negra has said that his company does not export cement because it is ‘not competitive’ with other countries. He cited logistical issues with transporting clinker and cement to ports, in an interview with the Ámbito Financiero newspaper. He also mentioned that the costs per tonne of cement in Brazil and Egypt were 30% and 50% respectively cheaper than in Argentina. In a ranging interview Faifman also discussed the cement producer’s labour problems at its Baker plant , its on-going upgrade at its L'Amali plant and negative effects from the local currency devaluation in 2018.