September 2024
Siwertell receives repeat order for road-mobile ship unloader 20 September 2017
Sweden: Siwertell, part of Cargotec, has received a repeat order from an undisclosed client in the Middle East for a road-mobile ship unloader. The 10 000 S trailer-based, diesel-powered unit has been ordered in response to an expansion in white and grey cement operations.
Four killed in explosion at Rohri Cement plant 20 September 2017
Pakistan: At least four people have been killed at the Rohri Cement plant in Sindh whilst deactivating explosives. The fatalities included two law enforcement officers, a member of the bomb disposal squad and a worker, according to the Express Tribune newspaper. At least eight other people were also injured in the blast.
The police say that the victims were attempting to defuse around 2000kg of explosive material when it detonated accidentally. The explosives, designated for use in the plant’s quarry, had been dumped near the plant by its previous management.
Four bidders shortlisted for purchase of Halla Cement 19 September 2017
South Korea: Four companies have been shortlisted to buy a full stake in Halla Cement. Asia Cement, Sungshin Cement, Aju Corporation and LK Investment Partners are all contenders for the sale, according to sources quoted by the Maeil Business Newspaper. Six investors submitted preliminary bids for the cement producer and Halla Cement’s largest shareholder Baring Private Equity Asia and its sales advisor Citigroup Global Market Securities Korea chose the final selection.
The shortlisted companies will have up to six weeks to conduct due diligence procedures before submitting final bids in early November 2017. The seller intends to pick a final bidder by mid-November 2017.
Baring Private Equity Asia and Glenwood Private Equity bought Lafarge Halla Cement from LafargeHolcim in mid-2016 for Euro427m.
LafargeHolcim deal boosts freight rates for Zambia Railways 19 September 2017
Zambia: A contract with LafageHolcim has boosted Zambia Railways freight rate by 28% year-on-year to 318,000t in the first half of 2017 from 247,000t in the same period of 2016. The railway company attributed the increase to a new contract with LafargeHolcim, according to the Zambia Daily Mail newspaper. It also cited rising coal imports from Zimbabwe for ‘booming’ cement production in Zambia, as well as more business in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Local council approves extension to St Marys Cement’s Charlevoix plant construction period 19 September 2017
US: The Charlevoix Township Board of Trustees has approved a request from St Marys Cement to extend a certificate allowing St Marys Cement more time to complete expansion work at its Charlevoix plant in Michigan. Votorantim Cimentos North America asked the local government body to extend its industrial facilities exemption certificate abatement by one year, as construction at the site is not expected to be completed until the end of 2018, according to the Charlevoix Courier newspaper. The cement producer plans to have the new systems at the plant running by mid-May 2018.
Upgrade work at the plant will increase its production capacity from 1.3Mt/yr to nearly 2Mt/yr. The cost has been budgeted at US$130m.
ANCAP in row over spare cement kiln 19 September 2017
Uruguay: The Administración Nacional de Combustibles, Alcoholes y Portland (ANCAP) is reportedly unsure what to do with a spare kiln it owns. The state-owned oil and cement producer purchased the US$80m kiln for its Paysandú cement plant, according to the Uypress news agency. At present the parts and components are stored at the site.
ANCAP’s union would like the kiln to be installed to secure cement supply at the plant. However, the company’s cement division has built up a debt of US$207m over the past 15 years and it is expected to make a loss of US$15m in 2017. The cement producer plans to cut 60 jobs and make savings of US$20m by 2019.
Industria Nacional de Cemento installs new cement mill 19 September 2017
Paraguay: Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) has installed a new cement mill at its Villeta plant. Once fully operational the new mill will produce up to 80t/hr of a new product, CPC-40, according to the Hoy website. The cement producer aims to increase production by 45% by the end of 2017.
India Cements orders mill system from FLSmidth 19 September 2017
India: FLSmidth has signed a contract to deliver an OK 52-4 cement mill system for India Cements’ Shankar Nagar plant in Tamil Nadu. The engineering company will carry out the system engineering, procurement and supply machinery for a cement production capacity of 200t/hr of Ordinary Portland Cement at 3500 Blaine. The supply also includes a ROKSH 82 separator and gear units from FLSmidth product company, MAAG Gear.
"This contract reflects the strong relations we have had with the India Cements for almost a decade and our extensive knowledge in the region. We are happy to partner with them again," said Country Head of FLSmidth India, Carsten Riisberg Lund.
The new mill will replace the existing ball mills at the plant. The contract is scheduled for completion by the end of 2018.
Gujarat Sidhee Cement extends shutdown period at Sidheegram plant 19 September 2017
India: Gujarat Sidhee Cement has extended the shutdown period of its Sidheegram plant until 28 September 2017 due to additional maintenance work on the kiln and coal mill. The maintenance period was originally scheduled to last until 25 August 2017. The cement producer said that cement grinding and packing operations will continue as normal and that the plant will meet all despatch requirements. Cement sales volumes are expected to be unaffected.
Indian cement industry sitting on 100Mt of excess capacity 18 September 2017
India: The Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) says that the local cement industry has 100Mt/yr of excess production capacity out of a total 425Mt/yr. The sector is sitting on over US$9.4bn of ‘sunk investment in surplus capacities’ but the CMA expects infrastructure schemes including railway projects to increase demand, according to the Press Trust of India. CMA President Shailendra Chouksey added that initiatives such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train could raise cement consumption by 3 – 5Mt/yr.
In separate comments M P Rawal, the company administrator of JK Cements, confirmed the CMA’s assessment of the sector by saying that a slowdown in the construction industry in 2016 had led to a 70% utilisation rate of the country’s cement plants. He expected the same situation to persist in 2017. However, he warned that one bullet train project was unlikely to have a big impact on the situation.