September 2024
Semen Padang to build cement packing plant at Bengkulu 30 October 2013
Indonesia: Semen Padang is preparing to build a new cement packing plant costing US$0.92m near Pulau Baai port in Bengkulu, said marketing director Benny Wendry.
"We have already earmarked US$0.92m to build a packing factory for Semen Padang near the Pualu Baai port in Bengkulu in 2014," said Wendry. However the project is still awaiting approval from the board of directors. Wendry added that the state-owned cement producer intends to start in early 2014 with completion scheduled for 2015. Once operational the plant will produce 300,000 sacks of cement per year.
Semen Padang is also building a 3Mt/yr cement plant in West Sumatra that is scheduled for operation by 2016. The new plant will increase the company's cement production capacity to 10Mt/yr.
Saudi Arabia: Hail Cement Company has announced that a scheduled shutdown for its production line for kiln and raw mill maintenance will run from 26 October 2013 to 11 November 2013. The cement mills and packing plant will remain operational throughout this period. The financial impact this shutdown will be reflected in the income statement for the fourth quarter of 2013. The company's commitments to its customers are not expected to be effected.
Viettel acquires 70% stake in Cam Pha Cement in US$127m deal 30 October 2013
Vietnam: Viettel Group, the leading telecom company in Vietnam operated by the Ministry of Defence, has signed an agreement with Vietnam Construction and Import-Export Joint Stock Corporation (Vinaconex), to buy a 70% stake in Cam Pha Cement. Viettel also purchased Cam Pha Cement's debts guaranteed by VCG in a deal with a total value of US$127m. Viettel currently holds a 21.3% stake in Vinaconex.
With the share sale, Vinaconex will cut its holding in the loss-making cement plant to 30% and avoid further losses from the unit. Vinaconex has paid US$114m worth of debts owed by Cam Pha Cement. Following the deal Cam Pha will sell its cement to military-run construction companies.
Cam Pha Cement made an accumulated loss of US$75m in 2012. The cement plant based in Quang Ninh Province has a production capacity of 2.3Mt/yr.
Cemex reports sales up by 3% in third quarter of 2013 30 October 2013
Mexico: Cemex has reported that its net sales rose by 3% year-on-year to US$4bn during the third quarter of 2013. Operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 2% year-on-year to US$747. The Mexico-based multinational cement producer attributed the increase to increased prices and higher sales volumes in most regions.
"We continue to be focused on our company-wide efforts to improve our operating efficiencies and the value we generate from our asset base while delivering better value to our customers," said Fernando A González, Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration.
By region, Cemex noted that net sales fell in Mexico by 11% year-on-year to US$776m from US$875m. This was blamed on low government infrastructure spending and bad weather. Sales growth was seen in all other regions, and most notably in the group's Northern Europe and Mediterranean regions that recorded 6% (up to US$1.17bn) and 9% (up to US$375m) growth respectively.
KHD receives COMFLEX® order from Batısöke 29 October 2013
Turkey: Batısöke Söke Çimento Sanayi T.A.Ş., part of the Bati Anadolu Group, has awarded KHD Humboldt Wedag a contract for engineering and delivery of equipment to increase its cement grinding capacity at its cement plant in western Turkey. The contract to install a new COMFLEX® grinding system will increase the capacity of cement grinding unit no 5, from 59t/hr to 195t/hr at 3300 Blaine and save more than 12kWh/t energy.
KHD´s scope includes the engineering and delivery of mechanical and electrical equipment, as well as advisory services during erection and commissioning for the new COMFLEX SC16-3250. This will be KHD's third COMFLEX grinding unit in Turkey after Denizli and Kahramanmaras Cimento.
The core equipment to be designed and delivered by KHD include: a clinker grinding system (COMFLEX® SC16-3250); a roller press RPS 16-170/180 with ROLCOX® system for control and monitoring; a V-separator, type VS 524, as static classifier; a high efficiency separator SEPMASTER, type SKS-VC 3250 as dynamic classifier; and a system fan HKF 200/265.
The commissioning of the new COMFLEX® system, in combination with the existing ball mill system, is planned for the end of 2014.
Eurocement starts new jet filter at Maltsovsky Portlandcement 29 October 2013
Russia: Maltsovsky Portlandcement, a Eurocement Group cement plant in the Bryansk region, has started operation of a new jet filter at the cooler of its rotary kiln no. 7. The project cost Euro0.55m with the equipment built by Czech firm Cipris Filtr Brno.
"The company pursues a transparent environmental policy and will continue to keep the public informed of all its planned measures on a regular basis," said Nikolay Karyakin, the Director General of Maltsovsky Portlandcement.
Part of a project to increase the cement plant's environmental standards, the plan was agreed upon with the Rostechnadzor (the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision) and Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Consumer Protection Agency) Departments for the Bryansk region and approved by the Bryansk region administration in 2010.
Since 2007 Maltsovsky Portlandcement has spent more than Euro14m on environmental upgrades. These have included: the installation of two new electric filters manufactured by Alstom Power Stavan (France - Sweden) at rotary kiln No. 7; replacement of jet filters at additive overturning units Nos. 5 and 6; modernisation of jet filters at bag machines Nos. 1 and 2; modernisation of the jet filter at cement mill No. 7; and the installation of modern jet filters manufactured by SIMATEK (Denmark) at the feed conveyors cement mills Nos. 11 - 16.
Workers exposed to cement powder in Tucson plant accident 29 October 2013
US: Two workers at the Staker Parson cement plant, Tucson, Arizona, were exposed to cement powder when a silo malfunctioned and dumped the material onto them on 28 October 2013. When crews from the fire department arrived, their first priority was to decontaminate the employees by washing the cement powder off them using hoses.
Both men had respiratory complaints and one man had eye irritation. Both were taken to hospital for further treatment. Two other employees worked for one hour to plug the silo to keep the cement powder from continuing to leak out. They wore protective clothing, but also had to be decontaminated and were also taken to hospital for further evaluation.
All of the men were released from the hospital shortly after the incident.
Akmenes Cementas about to complete modernisation project at Naujoji Akmene cement plant 28 October 2013
Lithuania: Akmenes Cementas, Lithuania's only cement manufacturer, is about to complete the modernisation of its Naujoji Akmene cement factory in northwestern Lithuania. It's claimed to be one of the biggest industrial projects implemented in the country since restoration of independence. A new clinker manufacturing line, which cost around Euro107m, should begin operation late in November or early in December 2013, barring delays. The line should operate for around 50 years and investments are expected to be covered within a decade. The company used it's own funds to finance the bulk of investments, while banks provided around one-third of the total funding.
"Representatives of equipment suppliers are visiting the facility now. They are checking, fine tuning, testing the equipment and adjusting the programmes. We keep our fingers crossed and hope that everything goes smoothly," said Arturas Zaremba, CEO of Akmenes Cementas.
Philippines: Thailand-based Siam Cement Group seeks to put up a manufacturing facility for fibre cement boards, smart boards and ceramic tiles, The Nation reports. These planned projects would cater to not only the domestic market but also SGC's markets across the Asean nations.
"If the products are marketable here, we plan to produce those products here. Investments would depend on market size. For example, for fibre cement board, we need (to be able to sell at least) 5Mm2 to (justify the cost of putting up a facility). The current local demand is 30Mm2," said Surasak Kraiwitchai-charoen, international business director of SCG Building Materials Group in Thailand.
India: Shree Cement reported a 24.5% dip in net profit for the July - September quarter at US$28m. The company, which has 13.5Mt/yr cement production capacity and 560MW/yr power generation capacity, had produced US$37m net profit in the same quarter last fiscal year. Total income of the company during the quarter fell to US$203m from US$211m in 2012. Revenue from both cement and power businesses of the company dropped during the quarter.
Expenses during the period went up to US$181m from US$163m in the July - September quarter of 2012 due to higher freight and other expenses. Freight costs of the company went up to US$41m for the quarter from US$35m in the year-ago period. Other expenses during the period went up to US$40m from US$33m.