22 November 2018

Colombia/US: Edgar Ramírez, the former vice president of planning for Cemex in Colombia, has been summoned by the US judiciary in relation to the Maceo cement plant corruption case. Ramírez reportedly fled to the US following calls for his arrest in Colombia earlier in 2018, according to W Radio. Another suspect in the case - Eugenio Correa Díaz, the former representative of CI Calizas y Minerales, which sold the property to the cement producer, is also being questioned by the US authorities. Ramírez and accomplices allegedly paid over US$13m to Correa, despite being aware of the fact that the property was in the process of being expropriated over unpaid taxes.

Spain: Jesus Ortiz, the president of Oficemen, says that the local market has ‘worrying’ levels of uncertainty. His comments follow a reduction in cement consumption growth since 2017 and falling export markets. The Spanish cement associaton is concerned that growth has mainly been driven by residential construction. The Cement Demand Index (IDC) grew by 8.5% year-on-year in September 2018 but this was a slight decline month-on-month. From October 2017 to September 2018 an estimated 13Mt of cement was consumed, a rise of 1Mt from the previous year. However, exports have fallen conscutively over the last year and a half.

Spain: FYM-HeidelbergCement has launched a sustainability commission to support its Malaga cement plant and the surrounding community. The initiative is part of the company’s 2030 sustainability plan. It includes representatives from local neighbourhood associations, local government and environmental bodies. The commission will meet several times a year to foster an open relationship between the cement producer and its neighbours. It also intends to promote behavior based on the circular economy and the reduction of the unit’s carbon footprint. It will build on the company’s work with the Provincial Forum of Socially Responsible Companies of Malaga since its inception in 2013.

France: Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies has inaugurated its pilot plant at Bournezeau, Vendée. The 50,000t/yr unit will manufacture cement products using metakaolin and blast-furnace slag, according to the L'Usine Nouvelle magazine. It says it will produce cement with reduced CO₂ emissions up to 250kg/t using a flash-calcined process down from 900kg/t in the normal clinker production process. The project had investment of Euro10m.

India: UltraTech Cement says that Binani Cement has become a wholly-owned subsidiary. The announcement to its shareholders follows a protracted legal battle with Dalmia Bharat group over the outcome of an auction for the insolvent producer. The acquisition includes production capacity in Rajasthan as well as subsidiaries in China and the UAE.