Displaying items by tag: Germany
Cemex shows the alternative way in Germany
15 May 2013Congratulations to Cemex for their work on alternative fuels in Germany. In April 2013 Cemex reached an alternative fuels substitution rate of over 80% at its German cement plants, with the Kollenbach plant beating 90%. Impressive stuff.
The German cement industry as a whole is already one of the leaders in the industry for alternative fuels use, reaching levels above 60% in 2010. This compares favourably with, for example, the UK's (high) rate of 40% in 2011 and the Cembureau average rate of 28% for its 27 European member states in 2009.
To show how fast the change in alternative fuels usage has been in Germany, in 2000 the rate was around 25%. For Cembureau members it was about 10.5% in 2000. Cemex's achievement at Kollenbach even surpasses HeidelbergCement's alternative fuels rate of 85% that it achieved across the border in 2011, at its Eerste Nederlandse Cement Industrie (ENCI) plant in the Netherlands.
Globally, Cemex seems likely to meet its 2015 target of 35% alternative fuels substitution rate. The other large multinational cement producers have similar plans in place. For example, Lafarge intends to reach 50% usage by 2020.
For more information on the German cement industry, read our feature 'Germany: A modern force in cement' in the May 2013 issue of Global Cement Magazine.
This week we present the 100th issue of Global Cement Weekly, Global Cement's weekly cement industry news digest. To mark the occasion we would like to know what you think about what we are doing. Let us know by taking the Global Cement Reader Survey 2013. All completed submissions will be entered in a draw to win an iPad Mini.
Germany: Cemex achieved an alternative fuels substitution rate of 82.6% for its cement plants in Germany in April 2012. According to a press release, this is the first country that the Mexico-based multinational cement producer operates in to reach this level. Its Kollenbach cement plant in Beckum, Germany, averaged a 90.9% substitution rate for the month.
"Beyond significantly reducing fuel costs, our expanding use of alternative fuels fosters the sustainable management of our earth's natural resources," said Eric Wittman, president of Cemex in Germany. "In April 2012, our Kollenbach plant replaced 12,000t of coal with refuse-derived fuel, bone meal and old tires."
In 2012, Cemex reached an alternative fuel substitution rate of 27.1%. Overall, the company's alternative fuel strategy enabled it to avoid the use of 2.3Mt of coal and the emission of 1.8Mt of CO2.
HeidelbergCement reports stable Q1
08 May 2013Germany: HeidelbergCement has reported stable revenues for the first quarter of 2013 at Euro2.76bn compared to Euro2.80bn in the same period of 2012. The German cement producer commented that weak sales volumes in Europe and North America, caused by bad weather and reducing working days, were mostly offset by growth in cement sales volumes in North America, Asia and Africa.
Group share of loss grew to Euro235m in the first quarter of 2013 from Euro208m in the same period in 2012. This follows the announcement by HeidelbergCement in April 2013 that its profits would be hit by a Euro30m fine in the second quarter of 2013 due to previous cartel infringements.
Sales volumes of cement and clinker remained stable at 18.1Mt. By business line, revenues for cement in Western and Northern Europe fell by 9.8% to Euro321m from Euro356m. In the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region revenues fell by 7% to Euro147m from Euro158m. In North America revenues rose by 8% to Euro222m from Euro205m. In the Asia Pacific region revenues rose by 8% to Euro507m from Euro468m. In the Africa-Mediterranean Basin region revenues rose by 5% to Euro201m from Euro191m.
For its outlook for the remainder of 2013, HeidelbergCement expects continued demand for building materials in North America, Asia and Africa. In Europe and Central Asia, the group anticipates stability in Germany, Northern Europe, Russia and Central Asia and weak development elsewhere.
Germany: Dyckerhoff Group's sales fell by 11% year-on-year to Euro256m in the first quarter of 2013, from Euro289m in the same period in 2012. The group attributed the fall to harsh weather conditions. Exceptions to the decline were reported in Russia and the US where sales rose and remained stable respectively.
Group loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) decreased to Euro9m in the first quarter of 2013 from Euro0m in the same quarter in 2012.
"For 2013 as a whole, we continue expecting group sales and EBITDA at a similar level to 2012", commented Wolfgang Bauer, CEO of Dyckerhoff AG. He based his prediction on the assumption that the weather-related volume decreases of the first quarter could be caught up.
Germany: HeidelbergCement said that its profits would be hit by about Euro30m in the second quarter of 2013 due to a fine for infringement of cartel rules. HeidelbergCement said that the fine, a total of Euro161.4m for cartel infringements during the years 1990 to 2002, would not affect its earnings outlook.
ACC orders two Loesche mills for Jamul plant
20 March 2013India/Germany: ACC has ordered two vertical roller mills from Loesche, in a consortium with KHD, for its Jamul cement plant.
The Holcim subsidiary has ordered a Loesche Mill Type LM 56.3+3 CS equipped with a classifier type LDC to grind clinker. The vertical roller mill will be operated with the power of a 5600kW motor and will have a capacity of 195t/hr. In addition a Loesche vertical roller mill Type LM 43.4 D will be part of the project and is designed to have a capacity of 90t/hr. The gearbox has a capacity of 1300kW.
Loesche's scope of supply for the Jamul project of Holcim will include additional equipment which is delivered in a joint venture by Loesche GmbH, Duesseldorf, as well as by Loesche India Pvt. Ltd.
Dyckerhoff profit crashes by 59% in 2012
15 March 2013Germany: Dyckerhoff Group has reported that its net profit in 2012 has decreased as expected. Net profit fell by 59% to Euro26.9m in 2012 from Euro65.9m in 2011. The German cement producer explained in a press release that cement volumes fell by 2.5% in Europe and that this couldn't be counterbalanced by volume increases in Russia and the US.
Sales remained stable overall at Euro1.6bn in 2012. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation fell by 3.1% to Euro284m from Euro293m. Average cement prices decreased in Luxembourg and in Poland. In the Czech Republic cement prices remained almost stable, while they increased in Germany, Ukraine, Russia and the US. About 48% of total Group sales can be ascribed to the division Germany/Western Europe, 39% to Eastern Europe and 13% to the USA.
The group's complete consolidated financial statements will be published on 26 March 2013.
Haver & Boecker grows presence in Brazil
14 March 2013Brazil: Haver & Boecker has celebrated the expansion of its headquarters in Brazil with over 200 guests from North and South America, Europe and Asia in attendance. Haver & Boecker Latinoamericana (HBL), the Brazilian subsidiary of the German engineering specialists for the raw material processing industry, is based in Monte Mor near Sao Paulo.
The expansion of HBL's building represents part of the investments made by the company to meet the growing demand registered in the Brazilian and Latin American market. Sales in Latin America have more than doubled since 2008. The growing share of engineering services required an expansion of office space to more than 1500m2.
Haver & Boecker also announced at the event held on 1 March 2013 that they have created Haver & Boecker Holding Americas to support technical, financial and communications for all branches in Latin America and North America. Adrián Gamburgo, who was previously the director of HBL, will lead the holding company. Rodrigo Campos becomes the managing director for the branch in Brazil.
HeidelbergCement reports 8% year-on-year revenue rise
07 February 2013Germany: The German multinational cement giant HeidelbergCement has announced preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter of 2012 and for the full year. In the fourth quarter it saw its revenue rise by 6.5% year-on-year to Euro3.5bn, its operating income before depreciation increased by 8.2% to Euro691m.
Over the whole of 2012 the group saw its revenue increase by 8.7% relative to 2011, rising to Euro14bn. Its operating income rose by 9.5% to Euro1.61bn. HeidelbergCement reported that it owed improvements in its cement margins to its cash-saving 'FOX 2013' programme, which saved outgoings of Euro384m.
The improvements reflect the continuing positive development in HeidelbergCement's growth markets and the ongoing recovery in North America. Sales volumes and result declined in Europe, mainly as a result of government budget constraints in some countries, which led to significant reductions in infrastructure spending.
"We are pleased that we achieved our goal of increasing revenue and operating income despite the negative impact of the Euro crisis on many countries in Europe," said Dr Bernd Scheifele, CEO of HeidelbergCement. "Once again we could reap the benefit from our advantageous geographical positioning in growth markets and the successful continuation of our programmes for efficiency and margin improvement. The margins in the core businesses cement and aggregates continued to increase. The strong development in our markets in Asia, Africa and North America contributed to the positive margin development."
In western and northern Europe the business development was not supported by mild weather at the beginning and the end of the year, which had been the case in 2011. Nevertheless, demand for construction materials remained stable in HeidelbergCement's native Germany and northern Europe, driven by positive economic development. In contrast, construction activity in the UK and the Netherlands weakened noticeably, mainly as a result of lower infrastructure spending in the UK due to budget consolidation and the decline in residential construction in the Netherlands following the end of housing subsidy programmes. Revenues here were Euro4.2bn, a decrease of 2.7% over 2011. Cement, clinker and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) sales came to 21.3Mt, a 3.9% decrease compared to 2011.
The development in the group's Eastern Europe-Central Asia region was divided. While cement sales volumes and prices developed positively in Russia and Central Asia, the demand for construction materials declined significantly in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic as a result of budget consolidation measures in these countries and the completion of construction projects related to the 2012 European Football Championship in Poland and Ukraine. Overall, cement, clinker and GGBFS sales volumes increased slightly to 17.2Mt, a 1% year-on-year increase. Revenues across all business activities in this region came to Euro1.44bn.
In North America demand for cement and ready-mixed concrete continued its recovery in 2012, driven especially by an increase in residential construction. Cement, clinker and GGBFS sales volumes recorded growth of 11.7%, rising to 11.7Mt. However, the group's result in the fourth quarter of 2012 was affected by Hurricane Sandy and an early winter start in Canada. In this region its revenue came to Euro3.44bn, a 13.4% increase year-on-year.
In the group's Asia-Pacific region, Demand for all of its products remained very strong due to construction activities that were supported by economic growth across the region. As a consequence, revenue showed growth of 17.6% for the full year and 12.8% for the fourth quarter. This rose to Euro3.48bn for the whole of 2012. Meanwhile, cement, clinker and GGBFS sales rose by 3.9% to 30.0Mt.
In HeidelbergCement's Africa-Mediterranean Basin region, cement, clinker and GGBFS sales were up by 0.9% to 9.2Mt. Revenues increased by 11% year-on-year to Euro1.135bn. The group noted particular improvements in its key markets of Ghana and Tanzania.
With regards to its progress in 2013 HeidelbergCement cited the IMF's expectations for slightly improved global economic growth, presumably linking this directly to demand for building materials. It cautioned that this growth was dependent on the continued focus of North America and Europe on their respective debt crises. There are still risks for the global economy from armed conflicts in the Middle East.
In North America, the company expects a continuing economic recovery and consequently a further increased demand for building materials, especially from residential construction and the raw materials industry. In Europe and Central Asia, HeidelbergCement anticipates divided development. While markets in Germany, Northern Europe, Russia and Central Asia should remain stable or continue to grow, weak economic development and low demand for building materials is expected in all other regions. In Asia and Africa the company expects sustained demand.
"Due to the continuing strong economic growth in the emerging markets and the recovery in the USA we are cautiously confident for the future," said Bernd Scheifele. "Macroeconomic risks have recently eased but still remain significant. The need for countries to deleverage will likely dampen volume growth in mature markets for the foreseeable future. In addition, we still have not recovered the margin loss from massively increasing energy costs over the past years. Therefore, we will unabatedly continue our efforts to reduce costs and improve efficiency and will continue to right-size capacities where necessary."
Dyckerhoff Group sales hold steady at Euro1.6bn in 2012
06 February 2013Germany: The Dyckerhoff Group has reported that its sales in 2012 met its 'expectations'. Preliminary sales were Euro1.6bn in 2012, the same as in 2011.
Cement and concrete volumes decreased by a total of 2% and 7%, respectively. Cement prices were higher than the previous year in Germany, Ukraine, Russia, and the USA, fairly stable in the Czech Republic and on a downward trend in Luxembourg and Poland. The sales proportion generated outside of Germany, 63%, exceeded the 2011 by 1%.
"As expected, Dyckerhoff Group's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the fiscal year 2012 will be at a similar level as in the previous year. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) as well as results before and after taxes will be below the previous year's level. Here, an impairment of around Euro26m against the carrying amount of fixed assets already acquired for the planned plant in Akbulak in Russia has an effect," said Wolfgang Bauer, CEO of Dyckerhoff.
Bauer added that the result after income taxes was affected by a write-down of deferred tax assets of around Euro13m.