Displaying items by tag: Ash Grove

Brazil/US: FCT Combustion has released details on contracts it has been awarded from CSN Cement Brazil and Ash Grove Cement. CSN Cement Brazil in Arcos, Brazil has ordered a Turbo-Jet kiln burner with a maximum thermal power of 102Gcal/hour for high sulphur petcoke, heavy fuel oil, alternative solid fuel and alternative liquid fuels firing for its 6500t/day cement kiln. Ash Grove Cement in Seattle, Washington in the US has awarded a contract for 63Gcal/hour Gyro-Therm MKII kiln burner for natural gas firing.

FCT Combustion has also opened new offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and São Paulo, Brazil.

US: Ash Grove Cement has appointed Chengqing (Cheng) Qi as its technical centre director at the company’s headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas. In his new role, Qi will oversee operations of the company’s technical centre. Greg Barger, an American Concrete Institute (ACI) Fellow and Ash Grove’s long-time technical centre director, will retire in 2017. Barger will continue in this role and work alongside Qi until the transition is complete.

Most recently Qi served as technical manager for a cement manufacturer where he was responsible for troubleshooting cement, concrete and aggregate performance, testing materials and evaluating new material sources. Prior to that, he was with Professional Service Industries in Fairfax, Virginia, as a materials engineer and petrographer.

Qi has authored or contributed to more than 20 technical papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. He is a member of multiple technical committees for the ACI and ASTM International.

Qi holds a doctorate in civil engineering, with an emphasis on cement and concrete materials, from Purdue University’s School of Civil Engineering in West Lafayette, Indiana, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in materials science and engineering from Southeast University in Nanjing, China.

US: A worker has died from a fall at the Midlothian Ash Grove Cement plant in Texas on 10 May 2016. The worker, Roderick U Barnes, was a maintenance mechanic at the plant according to the Waxahachie Daily Light newspaper. Barnes had been working on the top of a concrete mixing tower. The Mine Safety and Health Administration and Ash Grove Cement are conducting investigations into the cause of the accident.

US: Ash Grove Cement has donated US$20,000 to a Nebraska conservatory to help fund a workshop and laboratory and support conservation efforts.

"Ash Grove Cement is delighted to support The Nature Conservancy of Nebraska and its important project, Niobrara Valley Preserve," said the Plant Manager of Ash Grove Cement in Louisville, John Dale. "We believe that conservation is vital to the future of the state, which is why we've contributed to The Nature Conservancy throughout the Plains states for the past 20 years."

The donation will go building a new workshop and laboratory for a research facility as well as conservation and ranching support. At 60,000 acres, the Niobrara Valley Preserve is one of the largest and most visited preserves in the US. Donations like the one from Ash Grove Cement help to keep the conservatory open for research and teaching purposes.

"The Nature Conservancy is grateful for the support of the Ash Grove Charitable Foundation to help build a new workshop / laboratory at our Niobrara Valley Preserve," said Conservation Director Mace Hack. "This is a part of a comprehensive plan to transform this special place into the world-class home for teaching and learning that today's conservation challenges demand."

US: Ash Grove Cement Company has announced that its Louisville, Nebraska, plant manager John Dale has signed an agreement extending the use of an on-site building to Nebraska Wildlife Rehab Inc (NWRI). The agreement provides the rescue centre space at US$10/yr.

"We are happy to provide a home to the centre's staff and volunteers and the orphaned and injured wildlife they care for," said Dale. "The group offers an important service to the state of Nebraska."

Ash Grove first made the 4500ft2 building available to NWRI in 2010. The building provides a facility for the staff and volunteers to manage the hotline and conduct animal rehabilitation, education, training and fundraising. It typically sees more than 2000 animals each year.

"This facility has allowed NWRI to grow to serve our community and to help exponentially more people and wild animals," said NWRI executive director Laura Stastny. "We have been honored to partner with Ash Grove since 2010 and are grateful for their generosity in their donation of the use of the building for our wildlife centre."

US: Ash Grove Cement Company has announced that James P Sunderland, former company chairman and president, died on 27 May 2015. Sunderland joined Ash Grove Lime and Portland Cement Company in 1957 as its corporate secretary in Kansas City. In his 43-year career at Ash Grove Cement, Sunderland held several leadership positions, including serving as the company's chairman and president. During Sunderland's tenure, Ash Grove Cement became one of the largest Portland cement producers in the US.

US: Ash Grove Cement Company has helped Meals-on-Wheels celebrate March for Meals, a national campaign to end hunger in the elderly population, by sponsoring all breakfasts and lunches delivered to clients in Midlothian on 9 March 2015. During the month-long campaign, meal programmes throughout the nation will work within their communities to raise much-needed funds and recruit volunteers.

US: Ash Grove Cement has appointed David Meyer as its new chief financial officer (CFO). Meyer will also serve as vice president of the company. He replaces Randy Vance who was promoted to president and chief operating officer in August 2014. As CFO of Ash Grove, Meyer will direct accounting, treasury, internal audit, tax and information technology functions.

Meyer previously worked as the CFO of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a US$13bn dairy cooperative that is the largest privately-owned business in Kansas City. While at DFA, he helped the company divest National Dairy Holdings and acquire a 100% stake in Kemps LLC.

US: Ash Grove Cement Company has announced Alan C Finch as the new plant manager of its Chanute works in Kansas, USA, effective immediately.

"We are pleased that Alan will assume the leadership role of our Chanute plant," said Mike Hrizuk, senior vice president of manufacturing. "This plant opened in 1908 and is the longest running plant in our fleet of eight plants in the USA. We are eager to introduce Alan to the employees and community."

Finch has a 17-year career in the cement industry and comes to Chanute from Ash Grove's Durkee plant in Oregon, where he has been production manager for the past nine years. He previously held the production superintendent position at the same plant for three years.

US: Ash Grove Cement Company has appointed J Randall Vance as its new President and COO. Vance, who served three years as senior vice president of administration and CFO, assumes responsibility for manufacturing and sales of the company's cement operations, as well as continuing to lead its finance, accounting, risk management, information technology and human resources departments.

"Since joining Ash Grove, Vance has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills that fit well in the Ash Grove culture," said Charles T Sunderland, chairman and CEO. "Vance brings a breadth of business experience to Ash Grove, which gives us confidence that he will be a catalyst in guiding the company's performance." Sunderland will remain in his position.

"It is a privilege to be selected to lead such a talented and dedicated team," said Vance. "Our focus on safety, quality and customer service is exceptional in the cement industry. I am eager to continue to grow our business as a supplier of choice."

Before joining Ash Grove, Vance served as senior vice president, CFO and treasurer of Interstate Bakeries Corporation. Prior to Interstate Bakeries, Vance served in a number of corporate finance roles at Farmland Industries. Ash Grove Cement has launched a search for a new CFO.