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The Global CemPower conference took place last week in London, attracting 103 delegates from 25 countries. The conference looked at waste heat recovery options in the global cement industry. 'Back-of-the-envelope' calculations suggest that the value of the waste heat recovery units that could be installed in the global cement industry in the next ten years might total US$50bn - well worth thinking about.

Robert McCaffrey, the conference convenor, gave a listing at the event of the seven megatrends that will shape the future of the global cement industry, including demographic trends (aging of both developing and developed nations), urbanisation (with 70-75% of humanity due to live in cities by 2050), the growth of new country superpowers, the possibility of further climate change, paradigm shifts in the cement industry business model, ever-increasing energy costs and the influence of Rumsfeldian known-unknowns and unknown-unknowns.

Whatever else happens in the next 50 years, increased energy costs and energy efficiency will be the order of the day. In the global cement industry, waste heat recovery is here to stay.

Presentations, videos and a full review of the Global CemPower conference are available here, www.globalcement.com/conferences/global-cempower/introduction.

UK: ANH Refractories Europe has hired Stefan Frank, a senior engineer with more than 20 years' experience, to drive export sales across Europe.

The senior refractory engineer has joined the Wirral based firm to bolster expertise in the cement sector. He has been charged with kickstarting a new campaign to increase ANH's profile and drive sales in emerging cement markets in countries including Turkey, Ukraine and Italy.

Frank holds more than 20 years' experience in the refractory industry. This has included roles at HeidelbergCement Group's Technology Center in Leimen, Baden-Württemberg, in Germany, and extensive work in the rotary kiln field.

ANH Refractories Europe managing director Peter Rooney said, " The European cement market has been a solid area for sales in the last 12 months and we believe Stefan has the knowledge and skills to build on this."

The American owned firm, which has a US turnover of US$550m, manufactures materials used in linings for furnaces, kilns and incinerators operating at high temperatures. It delivers refractory solutions, services and products to many industries including aluminium, petrochemical, power, incineration, mineral and glass.