September 2024
Haver Technologies (Tianjin) moves to new location 20 August 2014
China: Haver Technologies in Tianjin (HTT), which provides solutions for packing machines for solid bulk materials and filling machines for liquids and paste products, including silo components, conveyor belts, foreign material screening machines, truck loading systems and palletisers, has moved to a new location in north China to be closer to its customers. HTT's former location in southern China was no longer able to keep pace with the growing demand.
"Our focus was on finding an ideal location with respect to customer closeness, ideal infrastructure, qualified personnel and good suppliers and so we ended up in Tianjin," said Ron Garthoff, managing director of HTT. A large part of the cement industry and numerous companies in the mineral processing technology are already located in this region and China's largest chemical hub is currently being developed there. As a result, HTT guarantees that 95% of its machines can be delivered within 24 hours and that service visits by technicians are conducted as quickly as possible. In Tianjin, HTT benefits from one of China's largest seaports and an international airport, an excellent network of motorways and Beijing airport.
In just 10 months a two-storey office building with space for approximately 45 employees was built. There is also the possibility for a 4500m2 production plant and warehouse. Moreover, the possibility for future expansion was accounted for as another 2000m2 building may be built when needed. The new location is supplemented by a research and development centre that is based on the research and development centre at the German headquarters in Oelde, Germany.
Loesche ThermoProzess GmbH attains welding certification 20 August 2014
Germany: Loesche ThermoProzess GmbH has been certified as a specialised welding company. Certification according to DIN 18800-7: 2008-11, Class D in relation to welding steel constructions was performed by the SLV Duisburg (welding technology training and testing institute) of the GSI (company for international welding technology).
The certificate covers 135 metal-active gas-welding processes with solid wire electrodes (partially mechanised) and 141 tungsten inert gas welding processes (manual) for complete machine and plant construction (serial numbers according to DIN EN ISO 4063). It concerns the base materials S235, S275 and S355 in line with DIN EN 100025 as well as stainless steels from the strength class 235 in line with the relevant approval document from the DIBt (German Institute for Civil Engineering).
"In future, Loesche ThermoProzess GmbH will be even more qualified to provide customers with first-class products, on the next day if necessary, which ensure the smooth operation of production facilities," said Dietmar Leiter, the responsible welding engineer at Loesche ThermoProzess GmbH.
Semen Indonesia wins energy award for biomass use 20 August 2014
Indonesia: Three state cement manufacturers, PT Semen Indonesia, PT Semen Padang and PT Semen Tonasa, have been using biomass as alternative energy source to replace coal and reduce electrical energy in stages.
Semen Indonesia has won an energy award from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry in recognition of its efforts to diversify energy needs by taking advantage of biomass renewable energy as an alternative fuel and to play an active role in developing new technology and innovations in the energy sector.
"The award has confirmed the commitment of Semen Indonesia to implementing a concept of sustainable business," said Semen Indonesia president director Dwi Soetjipto. He added that the cement industry is an energy-intensive industry, which also consumed coal as non-renewable energy. "By taking advantage of biomass, double goals could be achieved: first, conserving the environment and second, increasing the efficiency of operating costs, which will eventually increase in corporate profitability."
The use of biomass has stimulated local economy because it had been obtained from areas around the plants, including Tuban, Lamongan and Bojonegoro Districts in East Java, as well as Rembang District in Central Java.
"The use of biomass has also helped to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so that the impact of global warming can be minimised," said Soetjipto. Semen Indonesia has always increased its use of biomass as an alternative fuel to reduce coal consumption every year, Soetjipto added.
Russia: Stroigaz construction group plans to sell a controlling stake in a cement plant in the Altai region, Siberia. The deal should take place in the first quarter of 2015. Stroigaz holds 75% minus one share in the plant. The plant has a cement production capacity of 300,000t/yr. A strategic investor is expected to boost the plant's capacity. The deal is estimated at Euro22.4-37.3m. Stroigaz had previously held negotiations for the sale of the plant to Germany's HeidelbergCement in 2007, but the deal was not concluded.
CRH reports strong results in the first half of 2014 19 August 2014
Ireland: CRH, the international building materials group, has reported its results for the first six months of 2014, which ended on 30 June 2014. Sales revenues increased by 4%, including 7% growth in Europe and 1% growth in the Americas. Like-for-like sales were up by 5%. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were 27% higher than in the first half of 2013. Euro130m was invested during the first half of 2014, while net debt fell from Euro4.2bn in the first half of 2013 to Euro3.7bn in 2014.
Layoffs possible at Lafarge Zambia 19 August 2014
Zambia: Lafarge Zambia is considering laying off some 30% of its workforce of 670 employees, according to a memo circulated by a group of unionised workers. The company, which owns cement plants in Ndola and Lusaka, has allegedly not yet paid its unionised workers a promised salary increase, according to local reports. Instead of increasing these wages, Lafarge Zambia's CEO Emmanuel Rigaux announced the layoffs.
"We are appealing to the government to intervene on our behalf so that we are paid our salary increment and also to find out why they are pruning staff," said employees of Lafarge Zambia. The workers also allege mistreatment by management and say that Lafarge sold most of its shares to Holcim because it is 'scared' of competing with Dangote.
"The CEO takes advantage of the greediness and selfishness of our own Zambian managers to exploit us," said the employees. "Most Zambian managers are destroying their fellow citizens by protecting the greediness of these foreign investors. The management make billions but they treat the employees poorly."
According to a sales report from Lafarge dated 12 August 2014, Rigaux said, "The recent trend in our costs though is not favourable, partly as a result of negative currency impact. We must take action to contain our costs and ensure the sustainability of our business, including the review of our headcount. As we are entering the active phase of our capacity expansion projects both in Ndola and Chilanga and new competition is emerging, we must be fully mobilised to better serve our customers and maintain our undisputed leadership, including our cost leadership."
Reliance Cement to open two cement plants in Karnataka 19 August 2014
India: Reliance Cement plans to set up a cement plant and raw material quarry in Sedam Taluk, Gulbarga District, as well as a 3Mt/yr cement grinding plant in Gowribidanur Taluk at a cost of US$114m.
As per the pre-feasibility report for the Sedam project, which was submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Reliance said that it will set up an integrated 5.5Mt/yr cement plant with 3.6Mt/yr clinker production capacity and a 75MW power plant. Reliance is also setting up a 5Mt/yr limestone mine in the Tilkur and Hebal Villages, both in Sedam Taluk. The project is expected to be completed in 24 months, once the Karnataka government has approved it. Reliance is awaiting the Terms of Reference (TOR) from the MoEF, for which it had applied on 7 April 2014.
The project cost is estimated to be US$428m for the Sedam cement plant. For mining activity, Reliance has placed the initial cost at US$52.5m. Reliance received a Letter of Intent (LOI) from the Department of Mines and Geology in Karnataka to mine on 9.29km2 at the Tilkur and Hebal villages. The mining activity in the leased area is scheduled to be for 5Mt/yr of limestone. The LoI was granted to Reliance cement on 30 July 2010.
Dangote invests US$250m in coal power plant 18 August 2014
Nigeria: Dangote Group has invested US$250m in a coal-based power plant in its effort to provide an alternative source of power for is plants across the country to reduce the cost and difficulty accessing electricity.
Dangote Cement's Group CEO, Devakumar Edwin, said that the initiative will help the group in running its businesses in all parts of the country. He noted that the group has installed a 54MW coal power plant in Gboko, Benue State and is currently working towards installations at Ibeshe in Ogun state and Obajana in Kogi State. Edwin, who said that the group was currently importing coal from South Africa, revealed that it has started exploring coal opportunities in Nigeria, especially in Enugu State. It has also established a separate division for coal exploration.
Edwin noted that inadequate power supply due to Nigeria's low supply of gas has affected Dangote's cement production, while the cost aspect has also impacted on the economy and increased cost for consumers.
"In this country, the major issue is power," said Edwin. "Any economy will climb to double digits, once there is power at the right price. With affordable power people will produce products locally, will gravitate to the private sector, leading to the creation of a middle class and more employment in the country."
Eurocement and RZD complete railway renovation 18 August 2014
Russia: The renovation of the Podgornoe railway in the Podgorensky District of Voronezh Region has now been completed at a total cost of Euro14.8m. Eurocement contributed Euro8.92m to the joint venture project, which was carried out with JSC Russian Railways.
"This is an excellent joint project between big businesses," said the governor of the Voronezh Region, Alexei Gordeev. "Eurocement and JSC Russian Railways were able to reach an agreement on joint investments in the station's renovation, which made it possible to substantially increase its cargo throughput. It was very fortunate for us that one of the largest cement plants was opened in the Podgorensky District of the Voronezh Region. Productivity tripled in the last year alone and all this is thanks to the efforts of the cement plant. Now the railroad is ready to meet the cargo transportation needs of the enterprise." According to the president of Eurocement, Mikhail Skorokhod, the station's renovation will support the shipping of up to 2Mt/yr of cement from Eurocement's plant.
As part of the renovation, existing routes were extended and underwent major repairs, which allows trains of increased length (up to 71 cars) to be used, overhead contact lines were repaired and upgraded and the system underwent a transition to the Ebilock-950 centralised microprocessor, which is designed to control switches and signals at the station. In total, 2.6km of track and 36 turnouts were laid, 13km of overhead contact lines and carrier wires were replaced, 245 new supports were installed and the station area was renovated.
Nigeria set to end cement imports in 2017 18 August 2014
Nigeria: With a national production capacity at over 28Mt/yr, which far outstrips national demand of 20Mt/yr, Nigeria looks set to effectively end cement imports by 2017, according to UniCem's managing director, Olivier Lenoir. This is coming on the back of on-going strong national production capacity expansion by virtually all of the major cement producers operating in the country. By 2016, Dangote Cement will have increased its production to 50Mt/yr, Lafarge 15Mt/yr and UniCem to 5Mt/yr.