Displaying items by tag: FLSmidth

Denmark: FLSmidth, a supplier of engineering services and equipment to the cement and minerals industries, has kept its outlook for 2012 after first quarter profits rose less than forecast. The company said market trends remained favourable and that a rise in order intake confirmed its growth expectations.

FLSmidth said that it still expected full-year 2012 consolidated revenues of US$4bn, up from US$3.78bn in 2011, and an earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margin of 9-10% against a 2011 margin of 9.9%. It is also aiming for a 2012 earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) margin of at least 10%, against a 2011 margin of 10.9%. First-quarter earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose to US$57.7m in January to March 2012 from US$52.4m in the first quarter in 2011.

Denmark: FLSmidth has signed a contract worth approximately Euro85m with a company in the Middle East to supply a complete 6000t/day cement production line. The country and precise location of the plant were not announced.

The contract comprises complete equipment supplies and includes a combined limestone and clay crusher, a gypsum crusher, a circular stacker and reclaimer store, a stacker and side scraper store for additives, an ATOX vertical raw mill, a CF silo, a double-string preheater tower, a ROTAX kiln, an FLSmidth Cross-Bar cooler, an OK mill and equipment for the packing and dispatch of cement. FLSmidth will also supply automation equipment.

"FLSmidth has a long history in the Middle East and is maintaining its leading role in serving the rapidly-expanding cement market," said Group CEO Jørgen Huno Rasmussen. "The growing economy and increasing infrastructure investment in the region continue to offer opportunities. This project confirms that the slowdown from the 'Arab Spring' is lifting."

The company added that the cement plant would feature state-of-the-art equipment including the latest technology to ensure an environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient production process.

Germany: With effect from April 2012 Roger Meier has been appointed sales director of FLSmidth Sample Processing Technology, Wuppertal, Germany (formerly Pfaff AQS). Roger Meier will also be responsible for coordinating the common sales effort for FLSmidth Brno (formerly Autec) and FLSmidth Wuppertal.

FLSmidth Sample Processing Technology designs and manufactures a wide range of products for every stage of the sample processing chain in cement, steel and other minerals sectors. Previously Roger Meier has held a position as Building Materials Segment Manager and Industrial XRD Applications Manager at PANalytical BV, in the Netherlands.

Denmark: Carsten R Lund will be appointed new Group Executive Vice President of FLSmidth and a member of the Group Executive Management in July 2012. He will replace Christian Jepsen, who will be joining Alcoa, one of FLSmidth's global mining customers. Lund will be heading the new global Bulk Materials Division that was formed as part of the new FLSmidth Group structure announced in February 2012.

Lund, age 49, is a Danish citizen, Executive MBA and Mechanical Engineer (BSc.), who has been employed by the FLSmidth Group for 24 years in varying managerial positions. Most recently, Lund has headed the implementation of a major business system program for the entire FLSmidth group as program director. Prior to that, he was CEO of FLSmidth Airtech from 2007-2011 and responsible for growing and developing FLSmidth's Air Pollution Control business to become a major global player.

Brazil: Denmark's FLSmidth has announced that it has been awarded a contract worth US$83m by Margem Companhia de Mineração (a subsidiary of Supremo Cimentos) for delivery of equipment and services at its new cement production line in Brazil. The plant will be located in Adrianópolis, in Paraná, approximately 130km north of Curitiba. The order will contribute beneficially to FLSmidth's earnings until 2014.

The scope of supply includes all major process equipment including an EV crusher, a stacker/reclaimer, ATOX mills for both raw and fuel grinding, an ILC 5-stage preheater, a ROTAX-2 kiln, an FLSmidth Cross-Bar cooler and an OK Mill for cement grinding. Furthermore, air pollution control systems, a packing plant, as well as automation and control equipment are included. FLSmidth MAAG Gear and FLSmidth Pfister will also contribute to the project.

The project will feature the latest technology to ensure the production process is both environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient. "The continuously growing demand for infrastructure in Latin America makes it an interesting market for FLSmidth," said Group CEO Jørgen Huno Rasmussen. "Our capability of delivering full scope systems, as underlined by this order, reinforces FLSmidth's strong position and our ability to tap into the important Latin American market."

China: The major Danish cement plant manufacturer FLSmidth has achieved authority approval of its first acquisition in China, which will help it to secure a lucrative share of the multibillion dollar Chinese market for environmental control technologies. The move comes less than a month after China announced new NO_x emission regulations, providing an excellent market for FLSmidth's new capabilities.

Together with a minority shareholder, FLSmidth has started a company to market and sell air pollution control products to the cement industry in China. This local company is groundbreaking for FLSmidth as it combines local presence and relations with global technologies and resources. The founder company, Chinese Sino Environment Engineering Development Co. Ltd. (SEPEC), continues as a minority shareholder and brings a large reference base and contact network from the cement industry in China, both on a corporate and a plant level.

"FLSmidth and SEPEC are the perfect fit," said FLSmidth CEO Jørgen Huno Rasmussen. "FLSmidth's strong technological platform coupled with SEPEC's strong organisation, reputation and customer base in China will enable us to develop air pollution control products that are uniquely designed together with the Chinese customer and fit his specific requirements."

The local company will market FLSmidth's highly-efficient air pollution control products and thereby help Chinese cement manufacturers to fulfil the new and stricter emission standards imposed on the industry. As the majority shareholder, FLSmidth will retain the intellectual property rights to the technology. The Chinese market accounts for half of the total world market for air pollution control equipment. "With China's increased focus on environmental aspects as stated in the 12th five year plan, the timing of FLSmidth's local expansion is just right," said CEO of FLSmidth China, Anders Bech.

Denmark: The board of Danish cement plant producer FLSmidth has released financial results for the three months to 31 December 2011, which show that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 57% to Euro133m compared to Euro89.1m in the final quarter of 2010. The company recorded a revenue of Euro979m, up by 32% year-on-year from Euro742m. Its order intake also increased by 32% to Euro787m for the quarter compared to Euro595m.

For the whole of 2011 the group's revenue increased by 9% to Euro2.95bn and its EBITDA increased by 11% to Euro356m. Its net profit was up by 12% to Euro193m compared to Euro180m in 2010.

FLSmidth said that its cement sector remained solid despite a difficult market. In 2012 the company expects a consolidated revenue of Euro3.2-3.5bn exclusive of acquisitions. In the cement sector it expects a slight increase in revenue over 2011's Euro592m.

Ben Guren will be appointed as the new Group Chief Financial Officer of FLSmidth and a member of the Group Executive Management. Guren is expected to take up his new position no later than 1 July 2012.

Guren, aged 51, is a Norwegian citizen who since 2007 been Group Vice President Finance, IT & Legal of Jotun Group, Norway. From 2006 to 2007 Guren was acting as Chief Financial Officer of Helly Hansen Group, Norway and from 1989 to 2006 he was partner in KPMG, Norway. Guren is a state-authorised public accountant, graduated from the Norwegian School of Economics & Business Administration in Bergen.

Guren replaces Poul Erik Tofte who has been the Group Chief Financial Officer at FLSmidth since 2003.

Brazil: Denmark's major cement plant manufacturer, FLSmidth, has signed a contract for two cement projects worth a total of US$132m with Cimpor Cimentos do Brasil Ltda in Brazil. The contract comprises equipment for the Caxitu project, a new greenfield cement plant in Paraiba State near the town of Joâo Pessoa and for a new kiln line project at the Cezarina cement plant located in Goias State, 130km from Goiania.

The scope of supply for the Caxitu project includes a circular limestone storage dome, a longitudinal storage and reclaimer system for raw materials and a similar system for additives, a longitudinal storage facility for petcoke, an Atox raw mill, a Tirax coal mill, an in-line calciner preheater system and a Rotax kiln and SF cooler. The scope of supply for the Cezarina project comprises a complete pyro-processing line including an Atox raw mill, a CF silo, an in-line calciner preheater system, a Rotax kiln and an FLSmidth Cross-Bar cooler. FLSmidth will also supply air pollution control systems for the two projects, featuring the latest pyro technology for burning and utilising alternative fuels.

"Brazil is continuously investing heavily in development projects, both to support upcoming events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games and to provide housing and build infrastructure," said Group CEO Jørgen Huno Rasmussen. "This order enables FLSmidth to maintain its leading role in supporting Brazil's rapidly expanding cement industry and maintain close ties with our long term customer Cimpor."

The order will contribute beneficially to FLSmidth's earnings until commissioning in 2013.

Denmark: FLSmidth's profits have fallen by 12% year-on-year for the third quarter of 2011. The company has subsequently cut its estimate for world cement capacity growth in 2011, blaming stalled activity in India. Group profit was hit by weaker sales in its cement division despite higher sales in its minerals machinery business.

The profit for the quarter ending 30 September 2011 profit fell by 12% to Euro54m from Euro62m in the same quarter of 2010. For the nine months to 30 September 2011 profit fell by 8% to Euro117m from Euro128m in 2010. Total group revenue rose by 5% for the third quarter to Euro743m from Euro706m in 2010.

In the group's cement sector revenue for the nine months to 30 September 2011 decreased by 18% to Euro776m from Euro950m in 2010. Quarterly revenue for cement has fallen upon each consecutive quarter, with one exception, since the end of 2009.

"We cannot say how long the growth pause will last but it will definitely also extend into 2012," said chief executive Jorgen Huno Rasmussen, adding that India will continue to be a large and promising market.

The group said that it now expected the cement plant market in 2011 to grow by about 55Mt of new contracted cement kiln capacity worldwide, excluding China, against an earlier forecast of 65Mt. India is now expected to account for approximately 10Mt/yr compared to the previous projection in 2010 of approximately 20Mt/yr. Emerging markets such as Russia, South America, Africa and Asia were singled out for their high activity.

Unrest in North Africa hit cement consumption and investment in the region in the first nine months of 2011, the company said, adding that activities in Libya might resume in 2012 as the country headed towards greater stability.