Displaying items by tag: GCW333
Dangote Cement comments on BUA limestone dispute
19 December 2017Nigeria: Devakumar Edwin, the executive director of Dangote Cement, has accused BUA Group of illegally mining limestone at a site near Okene in the south of Kogi state. He made the comments at a press conference in response to public comments by Abdulsamad Rabiu, the chief executive officer (CEO) of BUA Group, that Dangote Cement had ‘sabotaged’ its operations, according to the This Day newspaper. The dispute between Dangote Cement, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and BUA is currently pending before the Federal High Court.
According to Edwin, Dangote Group first acquired an interest in the mining lease in 2014 after a previous company obtained the rights in 2007. However, BUA claimed access to the lease when it later purchased Edo Cement, a company also operating in the area. BUA Group responded to Edwin’s claims by stating that it does not have any operations in Okene, Kogi State where the disputed lease is located.
LafargeHolcim spends Euro38m on upgrades to Polish cement plants
19 December 2017Poland: LafargeHolcim has spent Euro36m on upgrades to alternative fuels handling at its Kujawy cement plant. The investment includes preparing the kiln for the use of alternative fuels, building a new terminal, setting up a new automated laboratory and building a hall for storing and processing alternative fuels. The project is intended to adjust the plant’s kiln for processing alternative fuels and securing new alternative fuel sources. The cement producer aims to control the alternative fuels supply chain for its plant from source to kiln.
The company has also spent Euro2m on upgrades to its Małogoszcz cement plant. These included process optimisation and environmental improvements such as modernising the inlet channel to the rotary kiln cooler, renovating the furnace outlet and installing a new drive system for the mill. The stacks for two kilns were also renovated.
Inversa launches offer to consolidate control of Cementos Bío Bío
19 December 2017Chile: Invesa has launched a public offer to increase the shares its holds in Cementos Bío Bío. The move follows its acquisition of a 13.1% share in the cement producer from Brazil’s Votorantim for around US$46m in November 2017, according to the Diario Financiero newspaper. The latest acquisition bid could see Invesa hold a 79% share of Cementos Bío Bío, combining other shares owned by other business that the Invesa family owns.
Holcim to spend US$120m on update to Malagueño cement plant
18 December 2017Argentina: Holcim Argentina plans to spend US$120m on an update to its Malagueño cement plant in Cordoba province. The investment will increase the unit’s production capacity by 45% or 0.73Mt/yr, according to La Voz del Interior newspaper. The project includes rebuilding a clinker production line at the site, installing a new cement mill and refurbishing packaging lines.
Philippines: Cemex Philippines has received an environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for a proposed new production line at its cement plant operated by Solid Cement at Antipolo City, Rizal. The cement producer wants to build a new 1.5Mt/yr line at the site, according to the Philippines News Agency. Cemex and CBMI Construction signed a deal to build the line in May 2017.
Uzbek government sets production target of 9.2Mt of cement for 2018
18 December 2017Uzbekistan: The government of Uzbekistan has set a production target of 9.2Mt of cement in 2018. Uzstroymateriali will produce 7.8Mt, Almalyk Mining and Metallurgy Combine will produce 1Mt and other companies will produce 0.4Mt, according to Uzbekistan Daily. Imports of cement have been set at 0.37Mt. The country is expected to consume over 9.5Mt in the period. Exports of white cement will be 4000t. The government has also ruled that cement producers must sell cement only through exchange auctions in 2018.
Shree Cement starts kiln at Baloda Bazar plant
15 December 2017India: Shree Cement has started up the kiln at its new 2.6Mt/yr Baloda Bazar plant near Raipur in Chhattisgarh. The unit is part of a US$900m investment plant to build three new plants with a total production capacity of 10Mt/yr.
Ota pozzolana cement plant ready for commercialisation
15 December 2017Nigeria: Danladi Matawal, the Director-General, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NIBRRI) said the institute’s pilot pozzolana cement plant at Ota in Ogun is ready for commercialisation. He has asked cement producers and other stakeholders to invest in the project, according to an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria reported upon by the Nigerian Sun newspaper.
The pilot project has a production capacity of 2t/day and it is ready for testing on an industrial scale. The unit was commissioned in May 2017 by Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology. NIBRRI is also planning a volcanic-based Pozzolana pilot plant in Bokos, Plateau that will be commissioned in 2018.
Loma Negra to build new line at L'Amalí plant
14 December 2017Argentina: Loma Negra plans to spend US$350m on building a new 2.7Mt/yr production line at its Amalí plant in Olavarria. Production on the new line is scheduled to start in early 2020. Once operational it is expected to create 220 new jobs. The new line will include a new kiln, two new two vertical mill for raw and cement grinding and a bagging and palletising unit.
Mexico: Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua’s (GCC) cement sales volumes increased by 18.2% year-on-year to nearly 4Mt in the first 11 months of 2017 due to high US cement sales in October and November. The US generates around 75% of GCC’s revenues.
October and November US cement sales volumes rose by 31.2% compared to the same period of 2016. Overall, for the first 11 months of the year, US cement volumes increased by 28.8% from 2016. The increase reflects strong demand and GCC’s acquisitions in Texas and New Mexico in late 2016. October and November sales volumes in Mexico also grew by 10.2%, rebounding from decreases earlier in the year. However, for the first 11 months, Mexico’s cement volumes fell by 1.6%.
“GCC reached record cement sales volumes as a result of strong demand and high level of backlog in our core markets, especially West Texas, Colorado, South Dakota, and the state of Chihuahua. In addition, builders and contractors enjoyed favourable weather in October and November, which offset the effect of some weather and project-related delays in the third quarter. As a result, we are confident that GCC will significantly exceed our US volume outlook for the year and, as a result, also surpass our earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) growth target,” said GCC´s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Enrique Escalante.