18 December 2019

Vietnam: Tan Thang Cement has announced that it will commission its 2.0Mt integrated Nghe An cement plant in 2020. Its total investment in the plant, which is installed with equipment from Bedeschi, Lilama and Vinaconex, is US$211m.
Viêt Nam News has reported that this will help raise the total number of Vietnamese cement production lines to 86 in 2020, with a combined installed capacity of 106Mt/yr.

Mexico: Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua (GCC) has signed a 15-year power supply agreement with a Mexico-based solar energy provider. The Awareness Times newspaper has reported that the contract covers the supply of solar power to GCC’s 0.2Mt/yr Juarez cement plant in Chihuahua, as well as its head office and ready mix and aggregates operations, constituting roughly 20% of its electricity consumption. The agreement, which enters force on 1 January 2021, will save GCC US$2.5m/yr and cut 0.3Mt of CO2 emissions throughout its duration.

Tanzania: Dangote Cement has partnered with local police and other stakeholders to train the 600 drivers it employs in Tanzania in road safety compliance. The Citizen has reported that the training programme will involve sessions four times a year, with the objective of reducing road traffic incidents to zero. Dangote Cement Head of Transport Gerald Osagia said, “This training is aimed at ensuring that out drivers avoid any temptation that may cause accidents.” Global Cement has previously reported alleged overloading of a Dangote truck as a contributing factor in collision in August 2019 that killed three and injured 69 in Ikorodu, Nigeria.

China: Cement or asphalt roads will connect every settlement in China by 31 December 2019, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Transport. Sichaun province is the last part of the country to receive fully paved roads, which were yet to reach one town and one village as of 15 December 2019. Xinhua’s China Economic Information Service has reported that China has invested US$87.5bn in the construction of 6.34 million km of auxiliary roads since it began construction of the system in 2003.

US: A new Martin Engineering conveyor belt cleaner will remove the need for customers to stock multiple blades for different belt widths, according to the manufacturer. Sliding blade holders lock on a guide rail, making blade length fully adjustable. Adjustments can be performed by a single worker in minutes. Martin Engineering conveyor products manager Dave Mueller said that this will deliver ‘the cleanest belt and the longest blade life – at the lowest cost.’