Displaying items by tag: Bags

Iran: The price of cement packaging for 50kg cement bags has risen by 117% since late 2017. Mohammad Ali Bod, a member of Iranian Cement Industry Employers Association, warned that some cement plants in the country would have to stop operating if the situation was not resolved, according to the Trend News Agency.

Peru: Cal & Cemento Sur (Calcesur) plans to add a sixth production line to its cement and lime plant in Puno at the end of October 2018. The upgrade will increase the unit’s production capacity to 1Mt/yr from 0.63Mt/yr, according to the Gestion newspaper. The company says that following the expansion the site will be the largest lime plant in Latin America.

The subsidiary of Gloria Group has targeted a 12% year-on-year growth in sales in 2019. It plans to sell lime to the mining sector in northern Chile and it is also focusing on Ecuador and Bolivia. The company plans to launch lime-sand bricks in 2019 for local demand and in Chile.

The cement and lime producer also plans to launch its Tipo LH cement product at the end of October 2018 and to sell cement in 25kg bags. At present, the company sells 42.5kg bags.

South Africa: Germany’s Haver & Boecker has entered into a joint-venture with Southport-based Portland Packaging. Through the joint venture, the Portland Packaging plant will start producing Haver & Boecker products and equipment alongside its own products, retaining the brands of both companies. The German company says that this is the first time a multinational full line packaging company has manufactured product for Africa, in Africa. It will be the minority partner in the joint venture.

Portland Packaging was founded in 2002 by Barry Buist, a former employee of a Haver & Boecker partner company in South Africa. It sells packaging machinery, parts and service to more than 100 customers across Africa and beyond, primarily in the cement industry.

India: 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.

Namibia: 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.

Egypt: 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.