September 2024
Janerose Karanja appointed as head of human resources at East African Portland Cement 23 August 2017
Kenya: Janerose Karanja has been appointed as the head of human resources at East African Portland Cement Company. Previously, Karanja worked for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives for over 25 years, according to the Kenyan Star newspaper. He holds an MBA in Human Resource Management from Kenyatta University, a human resource professional certificate from the Institute of Human Resource Management and a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Nairobi.
Hanson Cement to reuse vertical roller mill from Spain 23 August 2017
UK: Hanson Cement intends to reuse a 0.65Mt/yr vertical roller mill from a site in Bilbao, Spain for an upgrade to its Padeswood cement plant in north Wales. More information on the Euro22m project to demolish existing cement storage and loading facilities, erect a new mill and make changes to its railway facilities have emerged in planning documents. The cement producer intends to mothball three older mills at the site, continue to use a third (Mill 3) and install the mill from Bilbao. New cement rail loading facilities and silos will also be built to allow 4000 – 5000t/week of material to be transported from the site. In addition the railway line at the site will be modified and extended.
The subsidiary of HeidelbergCement says that the proposed development is intended to stop it transporting excess clinker by road from Padeswood to its Ketton plant for grinding into cement. It is also being implemented to meet increasing demand in the UK. Subject to planning approval by the local council the upgrade is planned for completion by the end of 2019.
Work on Potosí cement plant starts 23 August 2017
Bolivia: Imasa has started ground work has started on the US$300m Potosí cement plant near Chuitara following an inspection of the site. The 1.3Mt/yr plant is being built by Imasa, ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions and Valoriza for Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia (ECEBOL), according to the El Potosí newspaper. Located at 4000m above sea level it will be one of the highest plants in the world when it becomes operational.
Qeshm Cement prepares cement exports to Mozambique 23 August 2017
Mozambique: Iran’s Qeshm Cement Company has prepared its first consignment of cement and clinker for exports to Mozambique. 47,000t of clinker and 3000t of clinker will be shipped on a free on board trade basis, according to the Bourse Press Agency. Hormoz Amiri, an official at Iran’s Qeshm Free Zone, added that the trading enclave plans to export 0.2Mt/yr of cement and clinker to Africa in the current Iranian financial year.
Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines to stop gathering sales data over competition concerns 23 August 2017
Philippines: The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CEMAP) has decided to stop collating quarterly sales data on the cement industry due to competition concerns. Instead its president Ernesto Ordonez has urged the government to gather the information, according to the Philippines Star newspaper. Its last report was in 2016. CEMAP is currently under investigation by the Philippine Competition Commission for allegations of anti-competitive behaviour.
Metso to split its Minerals Services division 23 August 2017
Finland: Metso plans to divide its Minerals Services division into two separate business areas: Minerals Services and Minerals Consumables. The heads of the business areas will report to Metso's president and chief executive officer (CEO) and they will be members of Metso's executive team.
The Minerals Services business area will consist of spare parts and service solutions as well as supporting distribution and repair centre infrastructures. The Minerals Consumables business area will consist of wear part businesses together with the foundries and other manufacturing operations as well as supply chain infrastructure.
The new organisational structure will become effective at the beginning of 2018, and the presidents of the new business areas will be appointed in due course.
Anhui Conch half-year sales fly following price hike 22 August 2017
China: Anhui Conch’s sales revenue rose by 33% year-on-year to US$4.79bn in the first half of 2017 from US$3.60bn in the same period in 2016. Its sales volumes of cement and clinker rose by 4.6% to 134Mt. Its gross profit rose by 37% to US$1.48bn from US$1.08bn. The cement producer attributed its result to ‘significant’ increases in prices and continued discipline with production and operation costs.
By region the company reported particular increases in sales in East and Central China due to increased sales volumes and prices. In West China it increased its sales due to increasing market demand and the promotion of off-season production. South China was the company’s weakest region, with an increase of 14.3% in sales revenue, due to new production capacity.
During the reporting period Anhui Conch put seven new cement grinding plants into operation. Its Merek grinding plant in Indonesia has started operation and construction continues at plants Conch North Sulawesi in Indonesia, Battambang Conch Cement in Cambodia and Luangsprabang Conch Cement in Laos. Preliminary work for new plants in Russia, Laos and Myanmar is also in progress.
Thatta Cement grows sales in current financial year 22 August 2017
Pakistan: Thatta Cement’s sales revenue rose by 34% to US$36.3m in its financial year that ended on 30 June 2017, from US$27.1m in the same period in 2016. Its profit increased by 8.7% to US$6.8m from US$6.3m.
Nepal: The Investment Board Nepal has delayed signing a Project Investment Agreement (PIA) with China’s Hongshi-Shivam Cement due to ‘technical reasons.’ The joint venture is currently building a US$360m cement plant at Nawalparasi. The deal, which would have protected the interests of the foreign investor, has been deferred while Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visits India in late August 2017, according to the Kathmandu Post newspaper. Sources quoted by the newspaper attribute the delay to tensions perceived by the Nepalese government regarding infrastructure projects backed by India and China. The agreement is expected to be signed on 3 September 2017.
Brazil: The state government of Mato Grosso has reached an agreement with Votorantim to recover US$79m in tax from Votorantim. The payment refers to an under-payment of tax made in error by the company's cement plants in Corumbá and Nobres in 2015, according to Midia News. The state’s tax recovery unit absolved the cement producer of any blame, instead attributing the error to an interpretive issue.