September 2024
Government to sell shuttered Cement Corporation of India first 16 January 2017
India: The Ministry of Heavy Industries is planning to sell seven non-operational plants of the Cement Corporation of India (CCI) as part of the first phase of a scheme to sell the state-owned cement producer. However, due to on-going legal issues at some of the units the ministry wants to sell them in a piecemeal fashion or even individually, according to the Press Trust of India. The CCI operates 10 units of which seven are non-operational. The federal cabinet of India granted gave in-principle approval for the sale of certain state-owned companies in October 2016.
JSW Cement increases capacity of Bellary grinding plant 16 January 2017
India: JSW Cement has increased the capacity of its Bellary cement grinding plant in Vijay Nagar to 3.4Mt/yr from 1Mt/yr. The cement producer said that the additional capacity would help it strengthen its distribution network throughout south of the country. The chairman and managing director of JSW Group, Shri Sajjan Jindal, and other dignitaries inaugurated the new unit.
Raysut Cement’s revenue falls by 2% to US$240m in 2016 16 January 2017
Oman: Raysut Cement’s revenue has fallen by 2% year-on-year to US$240m in 2016 from US$246m in 2015. Its profit after tax rose by 1% to US$55m from US$54m. Previously the cement producer reported that it had faced ‘severe’ price competition and volatility in the export market.
Schenck Process launches vibration sensing smartphone app 13 January 2017
Germany: Schenck Process has launched a smartphone application (or app) that can measure the performance of vibrating machines. A smartphone running the ‘vibe2know’ app can be inserted into a proprietary mount and attached to the equipment being monitored. The app then immediately measures vibratory amplitude, frequency, oscillating angle and operating speed, and enables the user to visualise the vibrating machine’s motion pattern.
The idea for the app came from a Schenck Process employee in the company’s in-house Research & Development department, which was taken up and implemented by the future lab. Schenck employees around the world were then asked to suggest their ideas for the brand name.
“I am thrilled with vibe2know, it is a good example of how our established development team and future lab complement one another within our company. Our speed in achieving this project and getting a product to market is exactly why we set up our future lab. This sets a great precedent for future projects,” said Andreas Evertz, president and chief executive officer of Schenck Process.
Moroccan cement consumption falls slightly in 2016 13 January 2017
Morocco: Cement consumption has fallen by year-on-year 0.7% to 14.1Mt in 2016 from 14.3Mt in 2015. Data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Policy shows that particular falls in consumption of nearly 10% were recorded in the Béni Mellal – Khénifra and Drâa – Tafilalet regions. However, the country’s Dakhla - Oued Ed-Dahab region in the south-west reported a 64.3% rise in sales to 63,771t.
Qatar: Qatar Primary Materials Company (QPMC) plans to inaugurate its new cement silo project in the first quarter of 2017. The project is located at the Port of Mesaieed and includes two cranes, two conveyor belts, 12 silos each with a storage capacity of 5000t and a total of 60,000t, according to the Gulf Times newspaper. The silos will have a discharge rate of 250t/hr with a total of 1000t/hr. QPMC’s chief executive Eisa al-Hammadi said that the silos were to ensure a ‘sustainable’ supply of cement in the country. The site is intended to store and discharge over 2Mt/yr of cement.
QPMC completed its Bulk Materials Handling System in late 2016, a 4.8km conveyor belt system connecting the Port of Mesaieed to storage areas. The conveyor operates at a speed of 3m/s allowing material to be transported to the destination in under 30 minutes. The building materials distributor says that the conveyor is the first in the Middle East and one of the longest in the world.
Steppe Cement revenue falls by 8% to US$54m in 2016 13 January 2017
Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement’s revenue has fallen by 8% year-on-year to US$54m in 2016 from US$59m in the same period in 2015. Sales volumes of cement fell by 4% to 1.57Mt from 1.64Mt. The drop in revenue and sales volumes was blamed on increased competition and the start-up of two cement kilns in the country.
The cement producer reported that the country’s cement consumption fell by 8% to 8.9Mt in 2016. It imported 0.5Mt and exported 0.4Mt, with imports falling and exports rising respectively. The cement producer said that its market share was 17% in 2016. It will publish its full financial results for the year in April 2017.
Kenyan cement exports drop in 2016 12 January 2017
Kenya: Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics report that cement exports dropped in value to US$7.6m in 2016 from US$25.6m in 2015. Cement producers have blamed declining volumes on cheap imports, according to the East African newspaper. The opening of a cement plant by Dangote Cement in Tanzania has also contributed to the decline, forcing companies to cut their prices.
UAE: Union Cement’s waste heat recovery project has been recognised by the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (DCCE) for reducing CO2 emissions in Dubai in 2016. Local projects under the emirate’s Carbon Abatement Strategy achieved an emissions reduction of 419,500t of CO2 in 2016 saving nearly US$1.4m, according to comments made by DCCE to the Gulf Today newspaper. Other projects that contributed to the saving included the Dubai 13MW Photovoltaic Plant and Dewa Energy Efficient Chillers. The DCCE promotes Dubai’s transition to a low-CO2 green economy and is responsible for monitoring the levels of CO2 emissions in the Emirate.
Anjani Portland Cement commissions 16MW captive power plant 12 January 2017
India: Anjani Portland Cement has commissioned a 16MW coal powered captive power plant at its cement plant in Anjani Puram. The cement producer operates a 1.3Mt/yr plant and is a subsidiary of Chettinad Cement.