September 2024
Cash crunch hinders Lafarge Zimbabwe 05 October 2016
Zimbabwe: Lafarge Zimbabwe has blamed cash shortages for mounting losses. The company reported that it made a loss of US$2.2m in the first six months of 2016, up from a loss of US$1.3m in the same period of 2015. Its sales revenue grew slightly to US$26.5m from US$25.4, according to the New Zimbabwe newspaper. The cement producer has blamed the loss on cash shortages in the country and competition from imports.
“The volumes of cement sales remained subdued due to increased competitive activity in the total market following the influx of cement imports into the country as well as the entry of a major competitor into the Harare market,” said chairman Kumbirayi Katsande. He added that import restrictions would be helpful but that they would not solve major structural problems with the local economy.
Cash shortages are causing delays in paying foreign creditors said Katsanda. The country is preparing to introduce bond notes, a new local currency, to ease the problem, in November 2016.
Italy: Industry minister Carlo Calenda has said he is a ‘little’ worried about the intentions of HeidelbergCement to reduce its business in Italy after it buys Italcementi. The government is negotiating with HeidelbergCement about the purchase and it has confirmed its readiness to support investments, according to the Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper. The government has also asked the German construction materials producer to make a wish list and has launched a series of meetings.
Rioters attack Dangote cement plant in Ethiopia 05 October 2016
Ethiopia: Rioters have set fire to trucks and machinery at the Dangote cement plant at Ada Berga in Oromia, according to the Ethiopian state broadcaster Fana. The riots have followed the deaths of at least 55 people in a stampede at a local religious festival on 2 October 2016. Regional government offices were also set on fire and a police station was stormed during the fracas.
Wonder Cement appoint Sailesh Mohta as president of marketing 05 October 2016
India: The board of directors of Wonder Cement, a part of the RK Group, has appointed Sailesh Mohta as President (Marketing). Mohta will report into JC Toshniwal, Managing Director, according to Asian News International. Mohta will oversee strategic business partnerships and develop tactical policies aimed at augmenting the national presence of the brand, identifying potential markets, implementing a conducive growth stratagem and generating a significant share of voice in the marketplace.
Since 2010, Mohta has served as the president of Binani Cement. He holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University Of Mumbai and a chartered accountancy degree from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He is also a member of Multi Commodity Exchange of India and National Spot Exchange.
US: Summit Materials has appointed Noel R Ryan III as its new Vice President, Investor Relations. Ryan has more than 15 years’ experience in the investor relations and capital markets industries, most recently serving as Vice President and Head of Investor Relations & External Communications for Calumet Specialty Products Partners, a publicly traded producer of specialty hydrocarbon and fuels products.
Previously, Ryan served as head of the investor relations function at Delek US Holdings and as head of corporate communications at QEP Resources. Prior to these roles, he was Executive Director and Co-Head of the Financial Communications Practice Group at a nationally-ranked investor relations consultancy. Ryan began his career in US equities research at Banc of America Securities. He holds a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
More Maggi noodles to burn in cement kilns 04 October 2016
India: The Supreme Court has approved Nestlé India and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to destroy 550t of recalled stocks of Maggi noodles, which had passed their shelf life, in the kilns of cement plants. Queries on the disposal of the noodles had been raised by FSSAI. Previously, Nestlé India recalled stocks of Maggi noodles and destroyed around 38,000t of the product in 2015. Ambuja Cement was reportedly paid at the time to use the noodles as an alternative fuel.
Lucky Cement set to open plant in Democratic Republic of Congo 04 October 2016
Democratic Republic of Congo: Pakistan’s Lucky Cement is set to open its US$270m Nyumba Ya Akiba cement plant in Bas-Congo later in October 2016. The 1.2Mt/yr plant will be operated with Groupe Rawji, a local company, under the name CIMKO. It is financed by the African Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, EKF and by Habib Bank among others, according to Bloomberg.
“We will take care of everything that can hinder your production, unfair competition, fraudulent imports, we will take care of that,” said Prime Minister Matata Ponyo Mapon to CIMKO executives in a show of support for the project at a recent meeting.
Cemex Latam clears interim land rights for Maceo project 04 October 2016
Colombia: Cemex Latam has secured an interim contract with the government for its cement plant project in Maceo, Antioquia. The temporary solution will last until the end of an investigation into the irregular acquisition of the land, tax-free area and mining rights for the factory by Cemex Latam Holdings in 2012, according to the El Espectador newspaper. The company also intends to negotiate an extension of the lease contract, as per its original plans, in order to commence operation of the plant in early 2017.
An internal probe into the land deal found that irregular payments of US$20.5m had been made to Eugenio Diaz Correa, an individual connected to the deal. Cemex has fired Edgar Ramirez, vice president of planning, and Camilo Gonzalez, head of legal department, as part of the investigation and Carlos Jacks, the company's regional director, resigned. Cemex Latam has hired an external audit team and legal representatives in the case that was passed on to the Attorney General's Office of Colombia.
LafargeHolcim installs Schenck Process logistics equipment at two cement plants in Russia 04 October 2016
Russia: Schenck Process has installed two Logiq dispatch automation systems at two LafargeHolcim cement plants at Ferzikovo and Voskresensk. This has resulted in the plants being upgraded to the LafargeHolcim group’s Smart Factory standard.
At Ferzikovo LafargeHolcim is currently engaged in a major investment project for the Russian market. The plant has three incoming and outgoing scales as well as 11 loading stations for loose cement and two bag loading stations. Schenck Process converted the parking lot with registration, the incoming and outgoing scales and all loading points for fully automatic, unmanned operation. Self-service terminals for registration and weighing were installed in the entrance and exit areas. In the loose loading area, a Logiq loading terminal, including the Disomat Tersus weighing electronics with Profibus interface to the PLC and ultrasonic sensors, were installed. In Voskresensk the conversion work included the car park with registration, incoming and outgoing scales, three loading scales and one loading point for packaged goods.
Schenck Process ensured smooth delivery operations at both plants throughout the installation and commissioning process. Incoming silo trucks for loose loading, more than 300/day at Ferzikovo alone, continued to be processed throughout.
Since 2013, Schenck Process has implemented the Logiq dispatch automation system at various plants belonging to the Swiss construction material group, including at 18 cement plants in eastern Europe.
Flexicon opens new office in Germany 03 October 2016
Germany: Flexicon (Europe) has opened a new office to provide factory-direct engineering services and technical sales support to customers throughout Germany.
“The Aschaffenburg location will fuel Flexicon's rapid growth in the region by providing a dedicated German-language staff with full access to corporate resources," said Keith Bourton, Managing Director.
The Aschaffenburg office is headed by Christian Löchler, Regional Sales Manager. He holds an Engineering degree in Plastic Processing Technology from Fachhochschule Darmstadt (University of Applied Sciences), and possesses 20 years of experience in plastics processing, compounding and recycling, most recently as a Sales/Project Engineer for a consultancy specialising in gravimetric and volumetric dosing for granulates, powders and liquids. At Flexicon he will be responsible for building relationships with plant engineers, managers and other equipment specifiers in facilities that handle bulk solid materials across the mineral, food, pharmaceutical, plastics and general chemical industries.
Flexicon specialises in bulk handling equipment. Flexicon (Europe) is located in Whitstable, UK and is a fully owned subsidiary of Flexicon Corporation of Bethlehem, US. In addition to the Kent manufacturing location, Flexicon Corporation owns and operates manufacturing facilities in Brisbane, Australia and Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and maintains factory-direct sales offices in Barcelona in Spain, Santiago in Chile; and Singapore.