Displaying items by tag: GCW453
TimluyCement receives new excavator
28 April 2020Russia: TimluyCement has received a Hyundai Robex 210W-9S excavator at its 0.8Mt/yr Timluisky plant. The vehicle replaces the plant’s Twex EK-14. The new excavator is equipped with a bulldozer blade, outriggers and a hydraulic line for attachments and has a bucket capacity of 1.1m3. A Webasto pre-heater will warm up the engine before starting it in the cold season, increasing service life. TimluyCement managing director Vladimir Klichko said, “The modernization of the fleet of special equipment is an integral part of our production process. By acquiring high-performance, reliable vehicles, we increase work efficiency, minimise operating costs and also improve the working conditions of our employees.”
Hyundai previously provided the Timluisky plant with front-end loaders.
Cemex is an Energy Star Partner of the Year 2020
28 April 2020US: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared Cemex USA an Energy Star Partner of the Year, the highest award for energy-efficient production in the US. Cemex USA President Jaime Muguiro said, “Sustainability is embedded in our day-to-day operations and is an integral part of our core business strategy. Energy conservation is part of our vision as we are building a better future and believe it’s our responsibility to vigorously practice energy management through on-going initiatives and the use of alternative fuels.”
Cemex USA has earned more than 50 Energy Stars since 2007.
CRC reports on first quarter of 2020
27 April 2020China: China Resources Cement (CRC)’s profit in the first three months of 2020 was US$144m, down by 25% year-on-year from US$192m in the corresponding period of 2019. Sales were US$722m, down by 26% from US$969m. CRC sold 11.2Mt of cement over the period, down by 27% from 15.2Mt, although prices hadincreased. Cement sales constituted 82% of total revenue at US$589m, down by 22% from US$752m.
Höganäs Borgestad opens new headquarters
27 April 2020Sweden: Refractories specialist Höganäs Borgestad opened its new headquarters at Gävle, Gävleborg county on 27 April 2020. The facility will house the Energy and Kiln Engineering, Installation and Management departments.
During the coronavirus lockdown one project of note for Höganäs Borgestad has been refractory maintenance at Germany-based HeidelbergCement subsidiary Norcem’s 1.2Mt/yr Brevik cement plant in Telemark, Norway, for which it supplied 600t of refractories and 45 workers over a three week period.
Cemex implements new coronavirus protocols
27 April 2020Mexico: Cemex has implemented more than 50 new safety protocols to minimise the risk of coronavirus spread in its cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates operations. Cemex said that it recognised ‘the importance of the construction industry in supporting the maintenance and service of essential infrastructure required to face the pandemic and contribute to the economy,’ and would resume or continue all possible operations in line with the regulations of the countries in which it operates.
“The health and safety of its employees is the company’s number one priority,” said Cemex. “Among the protocols implemented are the company’s Personal Hygiene Protocol, Physical Distancing Protocol, Screening at Workplace Protocol, Cemex Truck Drivers Protocol, Workplace Cleaning Protocol, and Commuting To and From Work Protocol,” all developed in line with advice from national and international bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cemex has leveraged its Cemex Go digital platform to limit physical contact and ‘protect employees, customers and suppliers.’
Geminor dispatches first rail-only RDF delivery
27 April 2020Sweden: Norway-based Geminor received a batch of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) produced at its Braunsbedra plant in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany for use at Scandinavian cement plants on 23 April 2020. The shipment was Europe’s first international shipment of RDF by rail, without the use of trucks. Geminor plans for the 110t delivery to be the first of many on the 50,000t-capacity line. Geminor CEO Kjetil Vikingstad said, “Since transport by ship is only effective within a radius of 200km from a port, central Germany becomes a natural starting point for
transport by train. This is the beginning of extensive waste transport by train in
Europe.”
Cemex plant emits cloud of dust
27 April 2020US: A cloud of dust from Cemex’s 3.3Mt/yr Victorville, California plant caused the fire brigade to be called to the site at 17:00 on 24 April 2020. Victor Valley News has reported that what onlookers believed to be smoke was indeed escaped dust from silo refilling. Locals reported that dust frequently covers their cars.
Hanson team makes sign to thank National Health Service
27 April 2020UK: A team of Hanson employees has produced a sign from recycled materials from around the company’s 1.0Mt/yr Purfleet slag cement grinding plant. The 6m-long luminous sign, which reads ‘NHS Thank You,’ has been installed at the plant on the mill three tower overlooking the QE2 Dartford Crossing. Hanson Purfleet plant manager Warren Scott said, “The team wanted to show their appreciation for the NHS and key workers and came up with and executed this idea in their own time.”
Hanson has kept ‘a number of key sites’ open through the coronavirus outbreak in order ‘to supply key national infrastructure projects or to provide maintenance materials to critical sectors.’ Hanson has furloughed part of its staff under the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Vietnamese contract for FCT
24 April 2020Vietnam: US-based FCT Combustion has published details of a new contract with Vietnam National Coal and Minerals Industry Holding Group (Vinacomin) for the supply of an FCT Turbo-Jet burner to Vinacomin’s 0.6Mt/yr La Hiên plant in Thái Nguyên province. The upgrade aims to enable the use of lower calorific coal while maintaining clinker strength and specific fuel consumption, in order to reduce fuel costs.
FCT Combustion previously provided burners at Vinacomin’s 0.8Mt/yr Quan Trieu cement plant in 2019 and 1.5Mt/yr Quang Son cement plant in 2020, both in Thái Nguyên province.
Demand down as production partially resumes in India
24 April 2020India: Both Germany-based HeidelbergCement and Aditya Birla subsidiary UltraTech have responded to the government’s partial lifting of the coronavirus lockdown for rurally-located continuous industries by resuming ‘partial operations in some production facilities.’ Orient Cement subsidiary CK Birla said, “We are in the process of partially resuming our operations at our plants in Karnataka and Maharashtra.” Producers require the permission of the relevant state government to restart plants. In Telangana, where the government has not lifted the lockdown, CK Birla’s facilities remain shut.
The Economic Times newspaper has reported that ‘limited transportation facilities, higher than usual inventory and stricter rules regarding labour safety’ have added a note of caution to resumed operations. Shree Cement managing director Hari Mohan Bangur said, given the continuation of restrictions on construction in cities, “We expect just 10% of normal consumption, with hopes of a gradual increase.”