September 2024
Tarmac awarded Bronze Corporate Partner status by the Institution of Chemical Engineers 05 September 2017
UK: Tarmac has been presented with Bronze Corporate Partner status by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). A presentation was made at the company’s Tunstead cement plant.
The Bronze award from IChemE demonstrates a commitment by Tarmac’s cement and lime business to advance the profession through various activities. A IChemE Accredited Company Training Scheme (ACTS) currently runs from the site, and has five graduates enrolled across the business. The scheme provides engineers with practical skills training relevant to their roles at Tarmac, and puts steps in place in order for them to achieve Chartered Chemical Engineer status.
“We’re delighted to accept this status and absolutely recognise importance of working with organisations with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. We strive across the whole of our business to provide training and development opportunities for our employees, and this is a fantastic opportunity to take this practice a step further with official recognition,” said Mike Eberlin, managing director of Tarmac’s cement and lime business.
Nepalese investment body signs deals with Hongshi-Shivam Cement 04 September 2017
Nepal: The Investment Board of Nepal (IBN) has signed a project investment agreement worth US$359m with China’s Hongshi-Shivam Cement in connection with a cement plant being built at Nawalparasi. The agreement is the first of its kind signed by the IBN with a private sector company and it will last 15 years, according to the Kathmandu Post newspaper. The investment deal is the biggest made by a foreign company in the country’s manufacturing sector.
Hongshi-Shivam Cement is a joint venture between Nepal’s Shivam Holdings, which also produces Shivam brand of cement, and Hong Kong Red Lion Cement No 3, a subsidiary of China’s Hongshi Group. The Chinese company owns a 70% stake in the joint venture. Commercial production of cement is planned to start at the plant in 2018.
Krakatau Semen Indonesia launches slag-grinding plant 04 September 2017
Indonesia: Krakatau Semen Indonesia (KSI), a joint venture between Krakatau Steel and Semen Indonesia, has launched a slag grinding plant in Cilegon, Banten. The 0.69Mt/yr ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) plant had an investment of US$31m, according to the Jakarta Post newspaper. Construction at the site started in 2014. Both the companies running the venture are state owned and they own an equal share each in the plant.
Philippine Cement Importers Association backs pre-shipment inspection 04 September 2017
Philippines: The Philippine Cement Importers Association (PCIA) has offered its support for government plans for the pre-shipment testing of imported cement. It has also backed the Bureau of Philippine Standards’ (BPS) new department administrative order that requires mandatory certification of cement products, according to the Philippine Star newspaper. PCIA executive director Dani Enriquez said the draft administrative order was consistent with ISO standards and with the Key Principles and Obligations of the International Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade administered by the World Trade Organization.
However, chief executives from cement producers including Eagle Cement, Taiheiyo Cement Philippines, Republic Cement, Cemex Philippines and Mabuhay Filcement, have opposed the proposed change in government import regulations. Some of the producers have favoured testing of imports upon arrival in the country instead.
Lion cement brand to launch in Cameroon in October 2017 04 September 2017
Cameroon: Egin (Entreprise générale industrielle) plans to launch Lion brand cement in October 2017. The company signed an investment agreement with the government’s Investment Promotion Agency (API) in late Augut 2017, according to local press. Around US$15m has been invested in a production unit based in Douala. The site is expcted to employ 30 workers.
Switzerland: Guatemala‘s Cementos Progreso has joined the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) as its first affiliate member. The new membership level was created by the CSI to expand its membership and provide an interim approach to joining the scheme. Affiliate members will be expected to achieve full membership within a three-year timescale.
Taiheiyo Cement to build fly ash washing plant at its Oita plant 01 September 2017
Japan: Taiheiyo Cement plans to establish a fly ash washing plant at its Oita cement plant. It will collect fly ash generated by local government wastedisposal facilities and use this as a raw material to produce cement. In 2016 Taiheiyo Cement entered into a three-way agreement for the promotion of a recycling-based society with the local governments of Oita and Tsukumi and took part in talks concerning the recycling of waste materials generated within Oita Prefecture. Bottom ash generated by waste disposal facilities has been used at the Oita plant since 2007.
Philippines: Chief executives from Eagle Cement, Taiheiyo Cement Philippines, Republic Cement, Cemex Philippines and Mabuhay Filcement have opposed government plans for a minimum requirement of pre-shipment inspection for cement imports. Instead they have called for a rigorous testing procedure for all cement coming from abroad to ensure consumer safety, according to the Philippine Star newspaper. In a letter Paul Ang, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Eagle Cement asked the government to draw up revised rules and guidelines on the issue for the cement industry. He also requested that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other agencies combat technical smuggling of cement.
In separate letters to the DTI, Taiheiyo Cement Philippines president and CEO Satoshi Asabi, Mabuhay Filcement CEO Enrison Benedicto, incoming Republic Cement president Nabil Francis and Cemex Philippines president Ignacio Mijares also argued against pre-shipment inspection in favour of testing imports upon arrival in the country.
Huaxin Cement’s half year results bounce off higher prices 01 September 2017
China: Huaxin Cement’s sales revenue rose by 63% year-on-year to US$1.43bn in the first half of 2017 from US$874m in the same period of 2016. It attributed the growth to an increase in the price of cement. The cement producer also benefited from its acquisition of Lafarge China Cement’s plants in Yunan, Guizhou and Chongqing. During the reporting period its cement and clinker sales rose by 33% to 31.8Mt.
Australia: Boral Australia’s external revenue for its cement business remained flat at US$240m in the company’s financial year, which ended on 30 June 2017. The company said that its external revenues were steady, underpinned by a 2% price increase and lower wholesale volumes to support higher volumes of cement sold internally. Total sales volumes of cement rose by 2%. Its cement businesses earnings grew supported by price and volume gains as well as productivity and material input cost benefits, partially offset by higher energy costs. Overall, the division’s total revenue rose by 1% year-on-year to US$2.61bn from US$2.60bn.