Displaying items by tag: Bags
Oil prices hitting packaging prices for Indian cement producers
02 October 2018India: High crude oil prices are forcing packaging costs to rise for cement producers. Data sourced from Capitaline shows that Ambuja Cements’ packaging material cost rose by 19% year-on-year in the 2018 financial year, according to the Mint business newspaper. Similarly, Shree Cement’s packaging costs rose by 9%. Both companies use high-density polyethylene bags, which are affected by the cost of oil. Crude oil prices have risen by around 24% to far in 2018 to above US$80/barrel.
UK: Tarmac plans to restructure the distribution model for its cement and lime division. Following a strategic review it will move to a regional model for both bulk and packed cement distribution, which have previously operated on a national basis. Tarmac’s own fleet operations will handle around 50% of bulk cement and 20% of packed cement distribution, supported by five regional distribution providers selected through a procurement process.
“Our supply chain and logistics operations are crucial to maintaining Tarmac Cement and Lime’s position as the UK’s market leader. The new regional transport operating model will provide enhanced resilience, flexibility, service, cost and safety for our customers, who trust us to deliver the products they need to realise major projects,” said Mike Eberlin, managing director at Tarmac Cement and Lime.
Tarmac Cement and Lime’s regional distribution partners will be engaged on new five-year logistics contracts effective from December 2018. They are Abbey Logistics (bulk cement – Scotland), Pollocks (packed cement – Scotland & North), Lomas Distribution (bulk and packed cement – Central), Wincanton (bulk and packed cement – South West), Stobarts (bulk and packed cement – South East) and Proctors (packed cement – Barnstone).
Tarmac’s Lime & Powders operation will remain fully subcontracted on a national basis to Lomas Distribution (bulk lime and powders and lime tippers) and RR Andrews (powder tipper operations).
There will be no change to customer order arrangements.
Kaptau Packaging to supply bags to Ohorongo Cement
11 July 2018Namibia: Kaptau Packaging has signed a deal with Ohorongo Cement to supply 1.2 million bags by the end of August 2018. The agreement is part of a five-year deal, according to the Namibian Sun newspaper. Kaptau Packaging, a local company, manufactures bags in Oshakati.
Brazil: The Public Labour Ministry has signed an agreement with producers to reduce the standard weight of cement sacks sold locally to 25kg from 50kg. 33 cement producers, the local competition authority (CADE), the national cement industry union (SNIC), the Brazilian Portland Cement Association (ABCP) and Labour minister Ronalo Fleury all signed the arrangement, according to Surgiu. The agreement has been planned to reduce workplace accidents involving cement despatches.
The agreement establishes a deadline of 31 December 2028 for companies to adapt to the new standard, after which period only cement specifically for export can be over the 25kg limit, with all other sacks over 25kg to cease being sold from 1 January 2029. The agreement follows four years of negotiations.
Philippines: Austria’s Starlinger has installed its 300th conversion line for Ad*Star bags at Sakomoto International Packaging’s plant in Caloocan City near Manila. The ad*starKON line was delivered as part of two sack conversion lines for the client. Sakomoto International Packaging supplies the local cement industry with Ad*Star sacks made of polypropylene fabric.
Saudi company to build bag plant in Egypt
03 May 2018Egypt: A Saudi Arabian company plans to build a US$28m paper bag plant at Borg El-Arab in Alexandria. The plant will have three production lines including one exclusively for manufacturing cement bags, according to the Daily News Egypt newspaper. Ahmed Abdel Razek, head of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), said that the company plans to start production a year-and-a half after land for the unit is allocated.
Germany: Beumer Group has added the option of an ultrasonic sealing unit to its Fillpac R rotary packer filling system. The add-on is intended to improve the appearance of the bags filled with the packing machine. Once bags are filled they are sealed with ultrasound to keep the bags clean and company. This method of sealing also helps ensures that material is not spilled or contaminated during transport by truck.
Switzerland: Clothing company Elephbo is selling backpacks made from used Thai cement bags for as much as Euro120. The products have caused amusement in Thailand on social media, according to the Independent newspaper. Used cement bags from Siam Cement and Insee Diamond brands are being used with leather by the Swiss company to make a variety of fashion products including wallets, caps and trainers.
Cherat Packaging and Mondi hit half-billion cement bag milestone
13 December 2017Pakistan: Cherat Packaging, a producer and supplier of packaging to the cement industry, and Austria’s Mondi have made over half-a-billion cement bags since 2002. The local bag manufacturer has a bag production capacity of 600m/yr. It holds country-specific exclusive rights to use Mondi’s brown sack kraft paper to produce cement bags and has bought only Mondi paper for its use in the last 15 years.
“The bags had to be suitable for rough handling and fast, dust-free filling, and we wanted to deliver further benefits, such as material and cost savings. Mondi’s Advantage Select paper was the perfect choice. The 80/85gsm variant has revolutionised paper bag sales in Asia as it has provided us as well as our customers with high quality, low cost solutions. It has allowed us to use two plies instead of three and to dispense with perforation, which has significantly reduced paper consumption and dust at our clients’ premises. The bags are lighter, yet stronger than the previous three-ply versions,” said Amer Faruque, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Cherat Packaging.
The company’s paper division has exclusive rights from Mondi for procurement of sack kraft paper in Pakistan and supplies two-ply 80/75gsm 50kg bag to Cherat Cement, a sister subsidiary within the Ghulam Faruque Group. In October 2017 Cherat Packaging commissioned a Windmuller & Holscher universal paper sack line.
Beumer promotes mobile bag tester for valve bags
31 October 2017Germany: Beumer Group is promoting its new mobile bag tester. The testing device is intended to help users to determine the venting capacity of any type of valve bag, such as those used in the cement industry, including all paper and plastic layers, and glued areas. The determined parameters can be used to optimise the manufacture of bags or check conformity with specifications.
The bag tester is intended to give users with information on the filling behaviour of each bag that is useful for the manufacture of bags and filling technology, as well as for transport and logistics. The 14kg apparatus is housed in a stable hardtop case on wheels making it mobile.
A pressure-compensated flow control valve on the device constantly increases the volume flow rate until a steady pressure of 50mbar is reached. With this pressure, the user can read the current volume flow rate, which indicates the air permeability, from the flow-rate meter. A filling spout with inflatable sleeve seals the bag valve during the airflow measurements. The scope of supply includes an additional inflatable sleeve for valve widths of up to 200mm.