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Russian refractory manufacturer Magnezit Group has struck a deal this week with Vamtec to sell product in Brazil. What such a cooperation agreement will actually entail, as ever, remains vague but it is an interesting time for a cement equipment supplier to enter the market. The majority of refractories sales are to the iron and steel industries but cement and lime holds the biggest minority market. Industrial research analysts Roskill placed the cement and lime share at 13% in a recent market report.

Competitor refractory producer RHI placed Magnezit in the same Euro0.5 – 1bn revenue bracket with producers such as a Magnesita, Inerys, Krosaki and Shinagawa. Magnesita is the most relevant company out of that list because it is headquartered in Belo Horizonte in Brazil. It is a global company but some of its major mines and production sites are based in Brazil. In 2013 its revenue grew by 8% to US$937m despite static refractory sales volumes led by falling steel production. In 2013 its refractory revenues came mainly from South America. So far in 2014 it appears to have increased its refractory sales volumes, despite a declining marking in Brazil and South America as a whole, by moving into new markets.

A similar situation has been reported by RHI in the region so far in 2014 with falling steel production hitting refractory revenue. RHI originally planned to build a refractory plant in Rio de Janeiro in 2011 but this was amended in late 2012. In this environment it seems that Magnezit may be testing the market rather than planning a full-scale incursion into Brazil.

For the first half of 2014 the Sindicato Nacional Da Indústria Do Cimento (SNIC) has reported that cement sales were 34.5Mt in Brazil, a rise of 2.8% compared to the same period in 2013. Despite this modest growth, Brazilian cement producers will see this as disappointing following years of higher growth prior to 2013.

However, events may not be that gloomy in Brazil after all. The prospect of CRH's impending purchase of three cement plants and two grinding plants from Lafarge and Holcim in Brazil with a cement production capacity of 3.6Mt/yr may stir up the market. For starters CRH may audit the suppliers the new plants are using and decide whether they want to continue using them. The acquisition will add a new player to compete with the existing producers in the high producing states of Minas Gerais and Rio De Janeiro. Competition authority Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE) set up the terms for what Lafarge and Holcim would have to sell in December 2014, so now that a buyer has been found the move may go smoothly. Needless to say this presents an opening for any, say, Russian-based refractory producers looking for new clients!

Germany: The Supervisory Board of HeidelbergCement has added the position of a deputy chairman to its managing board. Dr Dominik von Achten, member of the Managing Board in charge of the North America Group area, Group Purchasing and the Competence Center Materials, has been appointed Deputy Chairman of the Managing Board effective from 1 February 2015. At the same time, Dr Bernd Scheifele had his tenure as chairman extended until 2020.

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.

China: West China Cement Ltd said that Tian Zhenjun has resigned as CEO and has been replaced by Ma Weiping, who will also take on the role of an executive director. It also said that Low Po Ling has resigned as deputy CEO. Tian and Low both confirmed they have no disagreement with the board.

India: JK group Chairman Gaur Hari Singhania died on 4 February 2015 following a heart attack. Singhania, aged 80 years, was also the President of J K Organisation and a Promoter Director of JK Cement Ltd since its inception in 1994. He is survived by a son, Yadupati Singhania.

Singhania held chairmanship in other companies including Jaykay Enterprises Ltd, JK Cotton Ltd and JK Traders Ltd. He also served as Chairman of Merchants of Uttar Pradesh, the Employers Association of Northern India. He was also the founder chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Stock Exchange and founder patron of Associated Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, he served as Director in various corporations, such as in Pradeshiya Industrial Investment Corporation of Uttar Pradesh, UP State Industrial Development Corporation and Uttar Pradesh State Sugar Corporation.

A sports lover, he was the chief patron of Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA). He also contributed to various universities and had opened a university at Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Russia/Brazil: Refractory materials producer Magnezit Group has signed a cooperation agreement with the Brazilian company Vamtec, a diversified manufacturer and trader of materials for metallurgical and cement plants. The agreement specifies distribution and promotion of Magnezit Group's products and services in Brazil. It also includes research collaboration in the metallurgical industry.

"During recent years we have carried out a number of changes in the company, including the construction of a plant for the production of magnesia clinker in Satka, Chelyabinsk region and the purchase of a new deposit in Krasnoyarsk Territory. Cooperation with Vamtec will let Magnezit Group find new possibilities for growth and continue efficient development of business in the South American market," said general director of Magnezit Group Sergei Odegov.

Vamtec SA was founded in the 1980s. It carries out development, production and promotion of materials and services for steel making industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, foundries and other industries.

Australia: The Kandos Bicentennial Industrial Museum has moved a ball mill from the former Cement Australia Kandos plant to its collection. The aim is to make the mill the centre of the museum's external collection, according to local press.

"We were very lucky to be offered the ball mill by Cement Australia," said Dr Buzz Sanderson, president of the Kandos Museum. "When Cement Australia decided to demolish the Kandos Cement Works, it asked us which parts we wanted to exhibit at the museum and the ball mill was one of them. There was a plan at one stage to place the ball mill down near the railway station at the entrance to town but there were just too many safety concerns."

The ball mill will be placed beside the Kandos Museum to give visitors to the museum a sense of how the machinery worked when it was in operation. The museum has had three sections cut away from the machine that will allow guests to look inside and see the inner workings of the machine.

Italy: Buzzi Unicem has reported sales of Euro2.50bn in 2015, a slight decrease from Euro2.51 in 2014. Buzzi Unicem's sales rose in the United States and the Czech Republic, grew slightly in central Europe, were flat in Russia and continued to drop in Italy and Poland, according to a preliminary financial statement for 2014.

The Italian cement producer's net debt dropped by Euro34m to Euro1.06bn in 2014 due to cash flow from operations, disposal of non-strategic assets and a careful dividend policy. The group expects its recurring earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in 2014 to have risen to slightly over Euro400m, in line with previous guidance.

Buzzi Unicem's board of directors are called to approve the consolidated audited 2014 profit and loss statement on 27 March 2015.

US: Vulcan Materials' 2014 fourth quarter earnings surged on continued growth in aggregates shipments and stronger average selling prices. The company has also been expanding through a string of deals. Vulcan reported that it spent US$322m for bolt-on acquisitions during 2014.

"Strong momentum in the latest quarter bodes well for 2015, a year in which we expect a continued recovery in demand for our products and, importantly, an improving pricing and margin environment," said Chief executive Tom Hill. "Although aggregates demand remains well below normal levels, this steady and gradual improvement is a further indication of construction activity recovery," said Hill.

Vulcan reported a profit of US$38m in the fourth quarter of 2014, up from US$9.1m in the same period of 2013. Revenue during the period increased by 11% to US$755m. Vulcan said that the latest results benefited by around US$7m as the result of lower diesel fuel costs, mostly in its aggregates business.

Italy: In its initial results statement, Cementir Holding SpA has reported earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of Euro104m in 2014, up by 35.7% annually. Revenues dropped by 4.1% to Euro948m, mostly due to the appreciation of major currencies against the Euro.

During the entire of 2014, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 13.4% to Euro192m, as non-recurring items of some Euro12m pushed the result up. EBITDA margin grew to 20.3% in 2014, up from 17.2% in 2013. Cementir's net debt dropped to Euro278m at the end of 2014 from Euro325m at the end of 2013, thanks to positive operating cash flow.

Cementir's operating results in 2014 beat its own targets, due to efficiency improvement efforts, according to chairman and CEO Francesco Caltagirone Jr. In its outlook for 2015, Cementir expects to post EBITDA of some Euro190m and have its net debt at around Euro230m at the end of the year. It expects to raise its sales of both cement and ready-mix concrete, to increase the proceeds from waste treatment in Turkey and the UK and to achieve efficiency savings on energy costs.