Displaying items by tag: Ireland
CRH releases trading update for first nine months of 2016
17 November 2016Ireland: CRH’s Europe Heavyside division’s sales have risen by 5% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2016. However, no exact figures were released by the group in a trading statement. Improved volumes and prices of cement were noted in the UK and a ‘limited’ impact so far by the British decision to leave the European Union (Brexit) was noted. In North America CRH’s Americas Materials division reported that proforma sales volumes of cement fell by 2% in the third quarter principally due to Canada. Its sales volumes have risen slightly by 1% so far in 2016. Overall, CRH’s sales rose by 6% to Euro20.4bn in the reporting period.
Lagan Cement picks Ctrack Online to manage fleet
11 November 2016Ireland: Lagan Cement has chosen Ctrack Online, a vehicle tracking system, to manage its fleet. It will use the system to monitor a mixed fleet of 42 heavy goods vehicles, vans, forklift trucks and barges, improve productivity and analyse operational performance. In particular, the system will measure and analyse the performance of three barges that extract sand from Lough Neagh.
“Ctrack Online has already become an essential day-to-day tool that is helping us achieve lean operational practices, while meeting strict customer requirements and keeping them informed at all times,” said Paul Adamson, operations manager of Lagan Cement Products.
Ecocem step forward
28 September 2016Once again Ecocem has shone the torch this week for a rare thing within Europe these days: a growing cement company. Its latest project is an import terminal in Sweden, as part of a deal with Bolidan, which launched on 22 September 2016. This supports an arrangement to supply cement for the Boliden Garpenberg mine. The agreement also includes supply for the Boliden Tara Mines in Ireland.
This follows the announcement to build a new slag grinding plant in Dunkirk, France in early September 2016 and the opening of a new terminal in Runcorn, UK earlier in the year. The 1.4Mt/yr Dunkirk plant is a joint-venture with the steelmaker ArcelorMittal, intended to target markets in north of France and in the UK. Once complete it will join Ecocem’s growing collection of grinding units in Ireland, France and the Netherlands. The slag-cement producer operates a 0.35Mt/yr plant at Dublin, a 0.7Mt/yr plant at Fos in the south of France and a 0.35Mt/yr plant at Moerdijk under its subsidiary Orcem Netherlands.
The focus on the UK makes sense given that Ecocem said that it had made commitments to sell more product in the UK in its first year than its total domestic sales in 2016. This followed the situation where, prior to entering the British market, Ecocem had to stop taking orders in the short term due to demand. If this is actually the case then it is unsurprising to note that Ecocem is also building a second UK terminal at Sheerness at the mouth of the River Thames near to London. As an aside, Francis Flower bought the Scunthorpe ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) plant from Hanson Cement in mid-2015 after the local market regulator requested the sale.
As Charlie Zeynel, ZAG International, says in an interview to be published in the October 2016 issues of Global Cement Magazine, that supplementary cementitous materials, including slags, in cement blends has grown worldwide, particularly in Europe and Japan, where GGBS cement represents around 25% and 30% of cement sales respectively. Zeynel goes on to say that GGBS usage is set to rise in other parts of the world, particularly the US, but this helps to explain the market Ecocem is operating in within northern Europe.
Ecocem seems well aware of the potential for slag cements in the US because it is attempting to build a Euro45m grinding plant Vallejo, California under its Orcem Americas subsidiary. The process has so far been dogged by planning problems at the proposed site as well as organised local opposition, which does not want a new industrial plant in the neighbourhood and issues such as the increased traffic it would bring. The irony here is that Ecocem bills itself as an environmentally friendly cement producer. Yet even environmentally-friendly cement needs to be manufactured and taken to site.
To misquote Kermit the Frog: it’s not easy selling green cement. However, Ecocem’s progress in Europe is encouraging both in the UK and the wider area. Roll on the opening of the Sheerness terminal.
Find out more about Ecocem's operations here: www.ecocem.fr/en/
Rebecca McDonald resigns from board of CRH
28 September 2016Ireland: Rebecca McDonald has resigned from the board of CRH with immediate effect. The non-executive director for the building materials producer cited family commitments as her reason for resigning.
Ecocem strikes deal with Boliden to supply mines in Ireland and Sweden
23 September 2016Ireland/Sweden: Ecocem has arranged a deal with Boliden to supply mines in Ireland and Sweden. The two mines concerned by this deal are Boliden Tara Mines in Ireland and Boliden Garpenberg in Sweden. The agreements are initially for three years with options for extensions.
Ecocem have entered into an agreement with the Port of Gavle, the nearest Port to the Boliden Garpenberg mine. The Port of Gavle has built an import terminal to unload ships, and transfer the Ecocem product to trucks destined for the mine. The new facility will accommodate approximately 8000t. Ecocem’s cement will be pumped into the mine to backfill voids created by excavation.
“Ecocem Ireland are very proud to be associated with one of Europe’s oldest and biggest mining companies. Boliden’s environmental performance and ambitions are very much in line with our own and we feel that these contracts represent a strong vote of confidence on the consistency of performance and service that Ecocem deliver,” said Conor O’Riain, the managing director of Ecocem Ireland.
Ireland's Ecocem invests Euro30m in new slag grinding capacity in Dunkirk, France in JV with ArcelorMittal
06 September 2016France/Ireland: According to the Irish Independent newspaper, Irish cement company Ecocem has invested Euro30m into a new production facility in Dunkirk in the north of France as part of joint venture with the world's largest steel company. The investment is split 30% to 70% in favour of Ecocem and will increase the Irish firm's capacity from 1.4Mt of high performance, low carbon cement to around 2Mt. Ecocem said the main target markets for the plant will be the north of France and the UK.
ArcelorMittal, the company that is investing with Ecocem, is the world's largest steel firm. The investment is a strategic partnership as Ecocem uses a by-product of the manufacture of iron and steel - Granulated blast furnace slag - to make cement.
The news follows recent builds by the company with the Peel Ports Group. The pair built an import terminal in Runcorn on the Manchester Ship Canal and will look to add to it with another two, one in Runcorn and another in Sheerness in England.
Ecocem's continued expansion in the UK is a response to growing demand from the market. The firm has experienced an increase in exports from the UK as a result of a bustling cement market and a shortage of the type of cement Ecocem produces.
Speaking at the time of its UK investment, Ecocem managing director Conor O'Riain said the firm is looking long-term at the market. "We've invested in state-of- the-art equipment to demonstrate to the market that we're here for the long term, and I'm delighted to say that the response from the market has been phenomenal. We've made commitments to sell more in the UK in our first year than our total domestic sales in 2016," he said. Prior to entering the British market Ecocem had already received orders for 200,000t of product for its first year and stopped taking any further offers in the short term.
Ecocem is also trying to make its first move into the US. The company is looking to build a Euro45m grinding mill near San Francisco but has some hurdles to its intentions from its planning applications.
The firm has continued to grow its reputation as a low-carbon cement producer and last month the firm picked up the Green Product Award 2016 for its superfine product.
Mark Towe to retire from board of CRH
30 August 2016Ireland: Mark Towe has confirmed his intention to retire from the CRH Board at the end of 2016. Towe, who joined CRH in 1997 and was appointed a CRH Director in July 2008, will continue in his role as Chairman, CRH Americas.
CRH sales revenues rise following acquisitions
25 August 2016Ireland: CRH’s sales revenue has risen by 35% year-on-year to Euro12.7bn in the first half of 2016 from Euro9.38bn in the same period of 2015. On a proforma basis - or adjusted for acquisitions, divestments and currency changes – sales revenue rose by 8%. CRH’s earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 20% to Euro1.12bn on a proforma basis. The company attributed the increases in sales, mainly to the Americas, with rises in Europe and Asia also.
"We have had a very satisfactory first half, with good performance from our heritage businesses and contributions from 2015 acquisitions delivering significant profit growth for CRH,” said chief executive Albert Manifold. “With continued positive momentum in the Americas and the modest impact of early-stage economic recovery in Europe, assuming normal weather conditions for the remainder of the season, we expect further progress in the second half with full year reported EBITDA in excess of Euro3bn."
Irish Cement tyre plans receive backlash
15 August 2016Ireland: Irish Cement’s plans to use used tyres as an alternative fuel at its plant in Limerick, Munster, have been delayed, after more than 1000 local residents signed a petition to present to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Local Labour councillor Joe Leddin said the sheer number of submissions is, ‘testament to the huge anxiety and worry of residents.’ An EPA spokesman confirmed it is one of the highest responses it had ever received for any application. The petition now means that no decision is likely to be made on the plans until the start of 2017.
Irish Cement has previously stated that the public’s concerns are disproportionate. The tyres will be burnt at such high temperatures, that the tyres will be completely consumed and pollution will be minimal.
Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission appeals court judgement on accessing CRH files
23 May 2016Ireland: The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has appealed against a High Court judgment preventing the CCPC from accessing or reviewing certain electronic documents seized by the CCPC during a search conducted in May 2015.
The High Court judgment arose from a court action taken by CRH against the CCPC following the seizure of hard copy and electronic documents by the CCPC during an unannounced search at the premises of CRH’s subsidiary, Irish Cement, on 14 May 2015. The search related to an investigation by the CCPC into alleged anti-competitive conduct in the bagged cement sector. The orders made by the High Court prevent the CCPC from accessing or reviewing material in the mailbox of Seamus Lynch, a director of Irish Cement, unless the CCPC and CRH agree to appoint an independent third party to ‘sift’ the seized documents for material relevant to the investigation.
The CCPC’s investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices by Irish Cement in the supply of bagged cement continues.