September 2024
Egypt: Misr Qena Cement has denied that it has acquired a 46% stake of ASEC Cement Company and a 55% stake of ASEC Concrete, which has been published in local newspapers. Misr Cement said that the published news was based on an assumption and that it would announce the deal when it was finalised.
Lafarge's investments in Egypt hit US$3bn in 2015 06 October 2015
Egypt: Lafarge Egypt's total investments in the local cement market will hit US$3.2bn at the end of 2015, according to CEO Hussein Mansi.
Mansi said that Lafarge Egypt intends to expand in the local market with US$16.8m of new investments in a recycling project. The project is expected to start within six months of the required land being supplied by the government. In the near future, Lafarge Egypt will supply national projects currently being executed by the government such as the New Administrative Capital project and New Suez Canal projects.
Mansi said that Lafarge Egypt plans to increase its current market share, which is currently estimated at 14%.
Belzarubezhstroy launches cement-bonded particleboard plant 06 October 2015
Belarus: The Belarusian civil engineering company ZAO Belzarubezhstroy has opened a cement-bonded particleboard plant in Krichev, Mogilev on 5 October 2015. Austria's VST Building Technologies was a partner of Belzarubezhstroy and an investor in the project.
The new plant uses the premises of the former Krichev meatpacking factory and is located 7km from the Krichev cement mill, where its cement is sourced. Imported equipment was installed. The plant will make cement-bonded particleboards using the process flows developed by VST Building Technologies. The new technology boasts high speed and quality of construction processes, energy-effectiveness and wide geographical deployment.
The Belarusian Architecture and Construction minister Anatoly Cherny stressed that the opening of the plant represents a truly ground-breaking event for the civil engineering industry of the oblast and the country. "With cement-bonded particleboards of our own, we will be able to greatly reduce the cost of residential housing construction. We will be able to build more homes and export more construction materials," said Cherny.
The plant's construction was prompted by the rapid pace of housing and industrial construction in Belarus, as well as the need to find new ways to modernise the civil engineering industry and reduce costs. Belarus has had to import cement-bonded particleboard to make the panels until now. In addition to serving the local market, over 25% of the cement-bonded particleboard produced will be exported to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the European Union (EU). The plant's proximity to the Belarusian-Russian border and the two rail lines going in the eastern direction will minimise the costs of exports to Russia.
Belzarubezhstroy director general Vitaly Bondarik said that the project was a historical one for the company. "We hope that the site will become kind of a springboard for advancing joint operations and implementing new construction projects in Belarus and abroad together with our partner, VST Building Technologies AG. We expect a successful future and intend to implement a number of joint projects in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Algeria and other countries. The enterprise should become a successful example of a new construction formation in Belarus," said Bondarik.
Belzarubezhstroy used its own resources and foreign investments to build the plant. It will create 200 jobs to reach the designed output capacity of 60,000m3/yr. In the future, the output capacity may be increased up to 100,000m3/yr.
The new plant is the first step of the programme sketched out by the Belarusian and Austrian partners.
Hanson Building Products changes name to Forterra 06 October 2015
US/UK: Hanson Building Products has changed its name to Forterra following its recent divestment by HeidelbergCement. The rebranding brings with it a new logo to the established business, which has a trading history spanning back several decades, while its wide selection of products and services will be unchanged.
The company, which operates in North America and the UK, makes a diverse range of concrete and clay building products. Structherm, the subsidiary that specialises in external wall insulation, is unaffected by the rebranding. Forterra employs approximately 5000 people, 1600 of whom work in the UK in 18 manufacturing facilities and its new Northampton based head office.
"The Hanson name and logo may have been replaced by Forterra, but this is a change of branding only," said Stephen Harrison, UK managing director of Forterra. "We remain committed to the excellence and integrity recognised by our customers and the construction industry in general and we want to use this rebranding to reinforce our values. We will continue to be a leading building products manufacturer in the UK and a key player within the construction industry. As Forterra, our business enters an exciting new era."
The new name is effective immediately and will be implemented across the company's products, services and communications over the coming months. Company emails and web addresses will also change to reflect the Forterra name. The changes only apply to Hanson Building Products, while Hanson Cement, Hanson Quarry Products and Hanson Contracting will all continue to be part of Hanson UK, which remains within the HeidelbergCement Group. There will be no ongoing connection between Hanson UK and Forterra.
Lafarge Nigeria unit acquires United Cement 06 October 2015
Nigeria: An affiliate of Lafarge Africa, Nigerian Cement Holdings (NCH), has completed a 100% acquisition of Nigeria's third-largest cement manufacturer United Cement Company of Nigeria (UNICEM). Lafarge did not disclose the purchase price. NCH owned 70% equity in UNICEM before agreeing to the deal in November 2014 to buy the remaining 30% from Flour Mills. UNICEM cement plant in Cross River has a production capacity of 2.5Mt/yr and is undergoing an expansion to 5Mt/yr, to be completed in 2016.
EPA settles major air pollution case with Cemex in Puerto Rico 05 October 2015
Puerto Rico: The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that Cemex de Puerto Rico will spend US$1.7m on pollution controls that will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides. In addition, the company will pay a US$160,000 penalty for Clean Air Act violations.
"Nitrogen oxides emissions can lead to a number of serious health and environmental problems, including respiratory problems, heart disease and smog," said Judith A Enck, EPA regional administrator. "The EPA settlement protects children with asthma and other vulnerable populations from harmful air pollution by requiring that Cemex install state-of-the-art technology and take immediate steps to reduce pollutants."
The Cemex cement kiln system in Ponce has operated for over 20 years and is a major source of nitrogen oxide emissions. The settlement addresses modifications Cemex made to its cement plant without obtaining the proper permit, as required by the Clean Air Act. Businesses that produce large quantities of air pollution are required to obtain permits and install pollution control technology before making changes that would significantly increase emissions.
Following an EPA inspection, Cemex conducted a smokestack test at its Ponce facility and potential violations were discovered. In the settlement, Cemex will install control technology, which will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by approximately 1423t/yr.
Police raid fake cement factory in Maharashtra 05 October 2015
India: The Madhav Nagar police raided an industrial unit manufacturing fake cement in the industrial area of Dewas Road, Maharashtra and arrested five people working in the unit on 3 October 2015. The accused allegedly filled empty UltraTech Cement bags with ACC cement and then passed it off on the market as original.
The police also seized hundreds of sacks of fake cement kept in the cement plant, a truck and equipment used in the process. According to the Indian National Press Bombay, the accused collected expired cement bags kept in storehouses and thereafter mixed spurious substances with it, then repackaged the bags with logos of a reputed cement company. They then sold it at a reduced price to the public and wholesalers. The police also found thousands of empty sacks of leading cement companies inside the factory premises.
India: The real estate developers' association Credai has moved the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against cement manufacturers that it claims have unduly increased the cost of cement. Credai has also highlighted the violation of CCI's 'cease and desist' order of 2012 by cement manufacturers, according to a statement from the industry body.
Credai said that the cost of raw materials used in cement manufacturing fell between January 2015 and September 2015, but that cement companies have not passed on the benefit to customers. Hinting at a cartel-like operation, it was also alleged that cement companies seem to be working together to control supply and prices. Housing and other real estate sectors account for nearly half of the cement demand in India. Despite low demand, cement prices have jumped by 20 – 40% in top cities across the country in the past couple of months.
"It is unfair that the cement manufacturers indulge in practices that control the prices of cement. The CCI has warned cement manufacturers in the past as well, but it is unfortunate that they seem to be continuing with their price and market manipulation," said Credai national president Getamber Anand.
At its annual general meeting in September 2015, Credai's board took the decision to stop procurement of cement from companies like UltraTech, Lafarge and others that unilaterally increased cement prices in the past month.
Oyak orders KHD equipment for Aslan Çimento plant 05 October 2015
Turkey: Oyak Aslan Çimento has awarded KHD Humboldt Wedag a contract for engineering and delivery of equipment to upgrade its cement grinding line at its plant in Darica-Kocaeli. The installation will be Oyak's seventh KHD roller press at the facility.
The contract to install a new Comflex grinding system will increase the capacity of cement grinding unit no. 1, by more than 100% and save approximately 20% energy. KHD's scope includes the engineering and delivery of mechanical and electrical equipment, as well as advisory supervision of erection and commissioning for the new Comflex SC20-3250. This will be KHD's fourth Comflex grinding unit and 15th roller press system with a V-Separator in Turkey.
The core equipment to be designed and delivered by KHD, as specified in this contract, includes a Comflex SC20-3250 clinker grinding system with:
- Roller Press RPZ 20-170/180 with Rolcox system for control and monitoring
- Cascade separator, type VS 620 as static classifier
- High efficiency separator Sepmaster, type SKS-VC 3250 as dynamic classifier
- System fan HKF 190/280
The new Comflex system will be integrated with the existing ball mill system. However, according to KHD, a primary reason Aslan Çimento chose KHD's Comflex for this project is it's ability to produce finished product without a ball mill unit. The commissioning of the new Comflex system is planned for 2016.
Former Lafarge HQ bought by insurer 02 October 2015
France: The French insurer of health professionals MACSF has announced that it has paid Euro150m to real estate agent Eurosic to buy the office building in Paris that is the former headquarters of cement group Lafarge. Lafarge left the building after its merger with Swiss peer Holcim as the headquarters of the combined group was moved to Switzerland.
The building was constructed in 1993, covers a surface of 12,000m2 and is situated in the 16th Arrondissement in central Paris.