September 2024
Wind blowing slowly for Suez Cement 28 September 2015
Egypt: Talks between Suez Cement (SCGC) and Egyptian authorities are continuing to ensure the continued financial viability of the SCGC's Wind Farm project, according to Managing Director Bruno Carré.
The company, which is part of Italcementi Group, is currently holding discussions with the Egyptian government to reach specific terms that could help in reaching a solution. This would then help the company present the project to banks, which would provide financing for the project.
According to Carré, negotiations have been ongoing with the government since an Economic Summit that was held in March 2014 in Sharm El-Sheikh. "It's a complex issue and it's not moving as rapidly as we wanted," Carré said. He emphasised, however, that the slow progress is understandable, noting that, on the one hand, the Ministry of Electricity is proactive in ensuring the project happens, as it will help in electricity production. However, the ministry also has to bear in mind the economic balances, and will need to consider the Wind Farm project in relation to other projects, Carré added.
India’s competition authority approves Italcementi purchase 25 September 2015
India: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved German firm HeidelbergCement's proposed acquisition of Italcementi SpA in India. The CCI first announced this information in a tweet that said that it had approved of the 'acquisition of Italcementi SPA by Heidelberg Cement AG.'
Bedeschi purchases US unit from Dearborn 25 September 2015
Italy/US: Bedeschi SPA of Padua, Italy has announced the recent asset purchase of Bedeschi Mid-West Conveyor LLC (BMWC) from Dearborn Mid-West Conveyor Co, a leading provider of turnkey bulk material handling systems for the utility, mining, cement, fertilizer, refinery and marine terminal markets.
Founded in 1947 BMWC is located in Lenexa, Kansas, from where it designs, fabricates and installs bulk materials handling systems.
Rino Bedeschi, Managing Director of the Bedeschi Group said, "We are excited about BMWC becoming part of the Bedeschi Team. Having been in business for 107 years, we are sure the merger will serve our clients with a wider range of products and services with broader organisational capabilities for future domestic and international projects."
LafargeHolcim launches Maua cement campaign 25 September 2015
Brazil: Cement group LafargeHolcim has announced the launch of a new promotional campaign for its Maua cement brand in Brazil. The campaign, launched in Rio de Janeiro with the concept 'Orgulho de Fazer Bem Feito' or 'Proud of doing things well', will include radio spots and outdoor advertising in addition to point-of-sale material. The campaign also includes a radio competition that will award smartphones to eight winners.
Dangote reissues call for concrete roads 25 September 2015
Nigeria: Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Cement, has repeated his plea to the Nigerian Federal Government to urgently adopt concrete roads in the country. Dangote stated that the adoption is hoped to be to the benefit of Nigerians if the government embraced the option of using concrete for roads in the country. Dangote claims that, aside from being very cheap, concrete roads are more durable with near zero maintenance cost.
"We are pushing for Nigeria to have concrete roads. It is cheaper to lay a concrete road that will last 50 years than to lay a bitumen road. It will also help in eliminating corruption, because if you go and build a bitumen road, it will have to be adequately maintained unlike a concrete road that is very durable," he commented.
SPECTRO Analytical Instruments launches new brief on the use of ED-XRF Spectrometers for the field analysis of soil and sewage sludge 24 September 2015
Germany: SPECTRO Analytical Instruments has launched a new application brief detailing the advantages of using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectrometers to perform elemental analysis in the field on soil and sewage sludge samples.
Determining the best course of action when addressing a contaminated environmental site requires precise identification of the contaminating elements and a determination of the amounts present. Traditionally, this elemental analysis has been done in laboratories using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), however, transporting soil and sewage sludge samples back and forth from the field to a laboratory adds considerable time and cost to the remediation process.
The new brief, 'Analysis of Soil and Sewage Sludge in the Field with a Portable ED-XRF Spectrometer,' describes new improvements in portable ED-XRF spectrometers that enable environmental professionals to rapidly characterise samples in remote areas with minimal preparation and with very high accuracy of analysis in environmental monitoring, geochemical prospecting and mining applications. The benefits versus laboratory-based elemental analysis include speed, precision, accuracy and cost-effectiveness.
The brief also outlines key factors to consider when comparing various portable ED-XRF spectrometers and their variations in performance, ease of use and suitability for the field analysis of soil and sewage sludge samples.
Indian government to cancel India Cements plant 24 September 2015
India: The government has decided to cancel the allotment of a cement plant given to India Cements in Gumma, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
The decision was taken after India Cements expressed its unwillingness to start works, according to local media. "It has been decided to cancel the allotment as the company is no longer keen to set up the plant and they have failed to show any progress in the years since the allotment was made," said Mukesh Agnihotri, industry minister. He added that the government cabinet would need to confirm the allotment cancellation.
Agnihotri said that the government plans to invite global bids for the proposed cement plant in Chamba have been put on hold as Jaiprakash Associates, which had earlier been given the project, has moved to court. The project in Chamba was allotted to Jaiprakash Associates in 2006 and a memorandum of understanding was signed in February 2007 to establish a 2Mt/yr capacity cement plant.
The industry department issued notices to three cement plants in addition to Jaiprakash Associates as to why their plants should not be cancelled, as they had failed to set up facilities that had been approved several years ago. The three cement plants included units by Lafarge in Alsindi, India Cement in Gumma and Harish Cement in Sundernagar. After finding the replies unsatisfactory, the government cancelled the cement plants allotted to Jaiprakash Associates and India Cements. Some of the companies have already invested a lot of money, but could not start operation due to various factors, including clearances from different agencies like the Ministry of Forest and Environment. In some cases, locals have moved to court against the projects, citing loss of agricultural land and an adverse impact on the health of people.
India: The India Cements Limited has announced that the pending approval of the Scheme of Amalgamation between Trinetra Cement Limited and Trishul Concrete Products Limited with The India Cements Limited and their respective shareholders by the High Court of Judicature at Madras has been extended until 31 December 2015 by the Registrar of Companies.
Tajikistan plans to become net cement exporter 24 September 2015
Tajikistan: Tajikistan is increasing its cement capacity in order to resume exports by 2020, Tajikistan's Ministry of Economic Development and Trade has reported.
Currently, there are six new cement plants operating in various capacities under construction, which will allow Tajikistan to cover its domestic needs, as well as to resume exports. The plants are being financed by domestic and foreign funding. Several medium and large capacity cement plants, including projects in Sughd and Khatlon, are being built thanks to Chinese investments.
The construction of the Tajikistan-China joint venture cement plant, Tajchina has already begun and is expected to start operation in 2015. Other cement plants are planned for construction in the Dangara, Bobokon, Gafurov, and Isfara districts, as well as in Istiklol city. Currently, the country's largest cement plant is Huaxin Gayur Cement, a joint venture between a subsidiary of China's Huaxin Cement and Gaur Limited Liability Company.
Tajikistan's Ministry of Industry and New Technologies said in January 2015 that six new cement plants would be established within the next two years. By improving the country's cement sector, which currently is comprised of 10 plants, Tajikistan expects to become a net cement exporter. Earlier, Tajikistan imported cement in large quantities from Pakistan, Iran and China.
PPC takes knock as sales growth stalls 24 September 2015
South Africa: PPC has reported flat or falling cement prices in all regions alongside tougher competition in Zimbabwe, Botswana and its home market.
"We believe that we are at or near the bottom of the cycle," said the company in a presentation on its website. "However, increasing competitive forces in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana weigh on the near-term outlook."
PPC's cement volumes in South Africa were flat in the 11 months that ended in August 2015. Its volumes increased in Botswana and Rwanda, but declined in Zimbabawe. PPC introduced a promotional price in Rwanda after opening a new 600,000t/yr plant there on 18 August 2015. While cement imports into South Africa from Pakistan declined after new duties were imposed in May 2015, increased local competition weighed on domestic prices, according to PPC. The company's expansion into other African countries 'remains on track.' Facilities under construction in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia are all about 45% complete.