Displaying items by tag: FLSmidth
Germany: Flender has increased the torque of its N-Arpex coupling product range with two new designs featuring eight and ten bolting points. N-Arpex now covers a diameter up to 988mm and a torque up to 2MNm. The compact design and enhanced bore capacities also enable a leap in size. A smaller coupling transmits a higher torque compared to the predecessor model. The steel disc coupling is suitable for use in drive applications including pumps, fans, compressors, generators, turbines, and paper and printing machines.
Other improvements include a more compact Flender conical bolt connection for the plate packs. With the two new N-Arpex couplings, Flender has introduced a modular system that increases the number of available types as well as reducing the number of components required. The three standard series of the predecessor Arpex merge into one N-Arpex series. The new series of couplings has also been designed for use in potentially explosive environments as defined in directive 2014/34/EU and fulfil the requirements of API610/ISO13709 and API671/ISO10441.
Vietnam: Xuan Thanh Cement has ordered a new production line for a plant in Ha Nam province from Denmark’s FLSmidth for around Euro74m. FLSmidth will design and engineer the new clinker production line and deliver equipment for the entire production from crushing to clinker silo. The order is due to be fully delivered by the end of 2020, and, once operational the production line will have a capacity of 12,500t/day. In 2015, Xuan Thanh Cement placed a similar order for a production line that has been operating since 2017.
Flying Cement orders mill from FLSmidth
25 March 2019Pakistan: Flying Cement has ordered a 71-6 OK model cement mill from Denmark’s FLSmidth for its new 7700t/day production line at its Mangwal plant. The mill will be designed to grind Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) at a capacity of 415t/hr. Commissioning is expected in 2020, and the mill will be supplied together with an FLSmidth ILC Preheater System, 2-Base Kiln, Cross-Bar Cooler, ROKSH 119 Separator, MAAG WPV-5000 Gear, Heat Exchanger and three filters. No price for the order has been disclosed.
FLSmidth to supply Cementos Concepción plant in Paraguay
15 March 2019Paraguay: Businessman José Ortíz says that Denmark’s FLSmidth will supply equipment for a new 1Mt/yr cement plant being built in Concepción. He made the comments in a radio interview, according to La Nacion newspaper. The unit is expected to be commissioned in mid-2021 and it has an investment of US$180m. The project is being financed by the Cartes Group, the Jiménez Gaona Group and José Ortiz. Jorge Mendez, the former president of state-owned cement producer Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC), will be president of the new plant.
FLSmidth sells 31 new vertical roller mills in 2018
13 March 2019Denmark: FLSmidth says it sold 31 new vertical roller mills (VRM) in 2018 for all grinding applications. The combined cement grinding capacity of its OK Mills VRM product line grew by over 38% year-on-year to 3145t/hr in 2018 from 2270t/hr in 2017. The average grinding capacity per sale of OK Mills for the cement industry grew by almost 10% to 225t/hr from 206t/hr.
The Danish equipment manufacturer installed its first OK Mill in 1982. To the end of 2018 it has sold 184 mills. It has supplied VRMs to 67 countries around the world since the OK Mill launched. Since the start of 2017 OK Mills have been sold in Indonesia, the Philippines, Algeria, Turkey, the UK, Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Peru, Cuba, India, Nepal, Algeria and Egypt. Shah Cement in Bangladesh inaugurated in 2018 an 81-6 OK Mill, the world’s largest vertical roller mill for cement grinding. It featuring six rollers and an 8.1m diameter grinding table.
Denmark: FLSmidth has appointed Annette Terndrup, Head of Group Legal and Strategy, and Cori Petersen, Head of Group Human Resources (HR), to Group Executive Management.
Terndrup joined FLSmidth in 2004 as corporate counsel. In 2013, she was appointed Group General Counsel, and in 2016 her role was expanded to include Group Strategy and mergers and acquisitions.
Petersen joined FLSmidth in 2016 as the leader of HR for the US. Shortly thereafter her role expanded to leader of HR for North America. In April 2018, she was appointed the role of Head of Group HR.
FLSmidth's Group Executive Management consists of: Thomas Schulz, Group chief executive officer (CEO); Lars Vestergaard, Group chief financial officer (CFO); Jan Kjaersgaard, Cement President; Manfred Schaffer, Mining President; Mikael Lindholm, Chief Digital Officer; Annette Terndrup, Head of Group Legal and Strategy; and Cori Petersen, Head of Group HR.
FLSmidth buys IMP Automation Group
11 February 2019Denmark: FLSmidth has acquired IMP Automation Group, a manufacturer of automated laboratory equipment for the mining industry with a presence in Australia and South Africa. The purchase covers over 130 IMP employees, including the managing director, Boyne Hohenstein. Links between the digital initiatives at both companies are intended to give end users better data on their mineral ores and assist in optimising the processing. The deal also includes a 50% share in a joint venture that IMP owns, providing observation and measurement products for automated labs.
"In FLSmidth we have found a partner with the right global sales network to take us to the next level. For years, we have combined profound laboratory process knowledge with automation skills and developed novel and innovative solutions. I am very excited that we now can reach a global audience with our offerings and solutions", said Hohenstein.
Supplying the cement industry
06 February 2019Two supplier news stories this week presented a snapshot of the global cement industry. The first was FLSmidth’s annual results for 2018. The second was the announcement by France’s Fives that it had signed a collaboration agreement with China’s CNBM.
Overall FLSmidth reported its highest order intake in six years with revenue growth driven by its minerals division. On the cement side though the equipment manufacturer was blunt, describing the market for new cement capacity as, “subdued with low plant utilisation globally.” In its assessment a slow increase in global consumption outside of China was not enough to absorb overall production overcapacity. It said it saw a ‘healthy’ level of small to mid-sized orders for grinding plants, upgrades, retrofits and single equipment orders. The market for replacements and upgrades was identified as a strategic focus. It also noted environmental upgrades for plants in China and India as environmental regulations tighten.
Fives’ news touched on the rivalry that western-based manufacturers have faced from Chinese competitors. Fives and CNBM have agreed to explore projects together in new plants, expansions and upgrades. Although the press release was brief, this seems to involve CNBM using Fives technology such as grinding mills, pyro-lines and burners. Like the rest of the industry Fives has had a tough time of it in recent years in the cement sector although 2018 seemed to have improved considerably at the nine-month stage in September 2018. So signing an agreement with a competitor at this stage is interesting. FLSmidth did a similar deal with CNBM in mid-2018 when it signed a framework agreement for future collaboration.
The context here is that the new plants that are being built are often part of China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative, typically in Central Asia or Africa. Mostly these plants are being financed by Chinese joint ventures and built by Chinese suppliers. This week Reuters published a map of new cement plants being built in 2018 with Chinese involvement along the silk road using Global Cement data. Rightly, FLSmidth and Fives are taking steps to be a part of this growth.
Figure 1: New Chinese cement plant projects outside of China in 2018. Source: Reuters using Global Cement data.
There is a tendency in the western press to play up Chinese imperial ambitions exemplified by US Vice President Mike Pence’s comments at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Papua New Guinea in November 2018. Yet, Sinoma International Engineering, one of CNBM’s engineering subsidiaries, reported that its new order intake fell by 14% year-on-year to US$4.56bn in 2018. No reason for the decrease was given but most of this fall seemed to come from its construction division. In turn most of this came from a fall in foreign orders. The implication is that China’s attempts to move its cement industry out of the country may not be happening fast enough to preserve the size of these companies.
Returning to European equipment suppliers, FLSmidth summed up its response to this situation in its annual report. The cement market is split between premium and mid-market projects, with the latter dominated by Asian suppliers. FLSmidth says it is targeting the mid-market by becoming the preferred original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of choice. They are not alone in their ambition as the Fives deal shows.
Pakistan: Power Cement has provided an update on construction work towards building a third line at its Nooriabad plant. 97% of the equipment ordered from Denmark’s FLSmdith has been received. 22% of errection work has been completed. The design phase of a new 40MW grid station and its fixing has been completed and civil work has commenced. Overall civil work is reported 91% complete.
The cement producer ordered the new 7700t/day line from FLSmidth in 2017. China’s TEPC has been handling the construction and errection contract. China’s CECC Tianjin (Pakistan) Electric Power Construction has been in charge of civil construction.
Mining market drives FLSmidth’s sales in 2018
31 January 2019Denmark: An improving mining market has driven FLSmidth’s sales, order intake and earnings in 2018. Its overall order intake grew by 13% year-on-year to Euro2.91bn in 2018 from Euro2.57bn in 2017. Its revenue increased by 4% to Euro2.51bn and its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 5% to Euro212m.
"The high order intake in 2018 is due to an improving mining market, but it also reflects the performance of our organisation, our position and strong lifecycle solutions. This combination lays a good foundation for future growth," said group chief executive officer (CEO) Thomas Schulz.
However, the group’s cement business order intake remained stable at Euro1.19bn. Sales revenue fell by 3% to Euro1.10bn and EBITDA dropped by 22% to Euro51m. It described the cement market as “very competitive with stable pricing at a low level.” It did note a ‘healthy level’ of small to mid-sized orders related to grinding plants, upgrades, retrofits and single equipment. Replacement and upgrade projects are anticipated to show continued growth in 2019.