18 September 2018
Germany: Environmental data from the German Cement Works Association (VDZ) show that average nitrogen dioxide emissions (NO2) from cement production dropped below 300mg/Nm³ in 2017. The value has more than halved since 2000. Other data from the ‘Environmental Data of the German Cement Industry 2017’ report shows that fossil fuels usage by the cement industry fell to 35% in 2017 compared to 45.6% in 2008.
"By consistently promoting the development of clinker-efficient cements, German cement manufacturers are noticeably reducing the carbon footprint as compared to traditional Portland cements," said VDZ President Christian Knell.
Knell also warned that the costs of carbon capture technologies should not be allowed to jeopardise the competitiveness of domestic cement manufacturers and give rise to ‘undesirable’ carbon leakage effects. The industry is currently researching methods to further reduce CO2 emissions such as carbon capture, storage and utilisation techniques, but it is dependent on external financing.
18 German cement manufacturers with a total of 46 cement plants are members of the VDZ. The local industry employs around 8000 people.
Dalmia Cement sets carbon negative target of 2040 18 September 2018
India: Mahendra Singhi, the group chief executive officer (CEO) of Dalmia Cement, says that the company aims to be carbon negative by 2040. Singhi made the announcement at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, US, according to the Indo-Asian News Service. The cement producer is planning to increase its low-carbon product portfolio and use more ‘green’ fuels and raw materials in all of its 14 plants in India.
Dalmia Cement is the first Indian cement company to join RE 100 and it is committed to a target of 100% renewable electricity use. Singhi said that the major challenge is to convert the climate risks into business opportunities while sustaining business growth for the benefit of present as well as future stakeholders. Singhi was previously the Indian co-chair of the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI).
Singhi said that Dalmia Group has been able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 526kg/t of cement on a group average and to 342kg/t in its eastern operations. According to the CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) cement sector report in April 2018, Dalmia Bharat achieved the first rank in CDP's low carbon transition league.
Steppe Cement’s sales rise as it gains market share so far in 2018 18 September 2018
Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement’s sales revenue rose by 22% year-on-year to US$32.8m in the first half of 2018 from US$26.8m in the same period in 2017. The cement producer said that the local market grew by 5% and that it had increased its market share to 15.5% from 14.5%. Its sales volumes grew by 14% to 0.74Mt from 0.65Mt. It reported that its selling expense increased as sales in the south and exports grew ‘significantly.’
The company noted that the local market is expected to be 9Mt in 2018, a figure similar to 2017. Construction was reported ‘strong’ in the west and south of the country. Imports in the country have increased by 30% so far in 2018 to 0.34Mt. Exports increased to 0.92Mt from 0.45Mt due to demand from Uzbekistan.
San Miguel Northern Cement order two mills from Loesche 18 September 2018
Philippines: San Miguel Northern Cement has ordered two mills from Germany’s Loesche for a new 5000t/day production line at its Sison plant in Pangasinan. The scope of supply includes two complete grinding plants: a type LM 56.4 mill for cement raw material and a type LM 35.3 D for sub-bituminous coal.
Loesche will supply a majority of the electro-technical components for the line and the automation systems including its LM Master product. It will be responsible for the plant engineering and the supply of filters and blowers. The new line will use also A-Tec’s Hurriclon technology for de-dusting the raw mills.
Delivery of the order is scheduled for the start of 2019.
Metso celebrates 150th anniversary with photo exhibition 18 September 2018
Finland: Metso is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a photo exhibition illustrating how the company has taken part in shaping and building the modern world. Interim chief executive officer (CEO) and chief financial officer (CFO) Eeva Sipilä will open the event on 18 September 2018 at Sanoma House in Helsinki. The exhibition will be open to the public until the end of September 2018.
The company was first established in 1868 when Erik Jan Hammarberg set up the Sunds Bruk ironworks in Sweden. As the business developed its products and services widened and its ownership changed. In 1991, the operations become part of Rauma-Repola. Rauma then merged with Valmet in 1999 to form Metso. At present the company operates in more than 50 countries and over 12,000 staff. It serves the mining, aggregates, recycling and process industries.
A central part of the company’s focus includes aggregates and minerals processing. Key parts of Metso’s development in this area include the creation of the Nordberg Manufacturing Company in 1886 by Bruno Nordberg, a Finnish migrant who settled in Michigan in the US and produced some of the first crushing equipment for mines. In 1928, Nordberg acquired Symons cone crusher technology. Bergeaud & Bruno was established in France in 1895 to manufacture crushing equipment, and in Tampere, Finland, Lokomo produced its first jaw crushers at the beginning of the 1920s. Each of these companies and their products continue to the present day as products offered by Metso.