
Displaying items by tag: LafargeHolcim
Loesche to supply Lafarge Zement’s Mannersdorf cement plant with new raw materials grinding plant
18 February 2021Austria: Germany-based Loesche has received an order to supply a new raw materials grinding plant to LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge Zement’s Mannersdorf cement plant. The plant will consist of a type LM 45.4 mill, a LSKS type classifier, a rotary feeder, a magnetic separator, a conveyor, a pair of Hurriclons, a mill fan and the ‘Digital Ready 4.0!’ digital package. Loseche’s subsidiaries Kingsblue and AixProcess are responsible for the digital products and A-Tec for the Hurriclons. Commissioning is scheduled by the end of February 2022.
Cement and ore head of sales Stefan Baaken said, "Many cement plants in Europe are facing similar challenges to our customer in Mannersdorf. For us as an original equipment manufacturer and also for the customer, the new grinding plant is an important signpost towards more energy-efficient and sustainable cement production.”
ACC grows earnings in 2020 despite coronavirus
17 February 2021India: ACC’s net sales fell by 12% year-on-year to US$1.85bn in 2020 from US$2.11bn in 2019. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) dropped by 3% to US$341m from US$332m. Cement sales volumes decreased by 12% to 25.5Mt and ready-mixed concrete sales volumes by 36% to 2.3Mm3. The subsidiary of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim said that its cost efficiency program and working capital optimisation helped it to grow earnings and profits in 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic.
CIMENCAM to accept mobile phone platform payments
17 February 2021Cameroon: Cimenteries du Cameroun (CIMENCAM) has signed an agreement with YUP Cameroon to accept online payments via YUP’s mobile phone-based banking system. Orders can be made via on CIMENCAM’s online portal. YUP allows its customers to access financial services without a bank account. The system started in Ivory Coast and Senegal in 2017 and is now present in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea, Ghana and Madagascar.
ACC launches ECOPact concrete in India
16 February 2021India: LafargeHolcim subsidiary ACC has launched its ECOPact range of reduced-CO2 concrete products in Hyderabad and Mumbai. A full nationwide rollout will follow in February and March 2021.
Managing director Sridhar Balakrishnan said, "The innovative manufacturing process of the ECOPact range reduces CO2 emissions by up to 100% and further enhances our sustainable products offerings for the construction industry.”
Staff changes at LafargeHolcim Russia and Holcim Azerbaijan
10 February 2021Azerbaijan/Russia: Holcim Azerbaijan has appointed Khalid Samaka as its chief executive officer (CEO). Previously he worked as the technical director at LafargeHolcim Russia since 2017.
Samaka has been succeeded as technical director at LafargeHolcim Russia by Artur Buzyurov. Previously he was in charge of cement plants in Kolomna and Voskresensk. He has worked for the company since 2001.
LafargeHolcim and Schlumberger New Energy to study carbon capture and storage studies at two cement plants
10 February 2021Europe/North America: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim and US-based Schlumberger plan to study the feasibility of carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems at two cement plants in Europe and North America. The companies say that the partnership is intended to as a precursor towards the deployment of large-scale CCS solutions.
LafargeHolcim’s chief sustainability officer Magali Anderson said, “Today’s announcement is further proof of LafargeHolcim’s environmental leadership and commitment to pioneer new solutions to reduce carbon emissions on our journey to become a net zero company. Our partnership with Schlumberger, the world’s leading provider of technology to the global energy industry, will bring new advances in storage that could be replicated at scale across our sites.”
Holcim Argentina presents voluntary retirement plan to workers at Yocsina grinding plant
10 February 2021Argentina: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Holcim Argentina has presented a voluntary retirement plan to all 50 workers at its Yocsina grinding plant in Cordoba. The La Voz del Interior newspaper has reported that the company is stopping production at the site and has invested US$120m in its integrated Malagueño cement plant in order to consolidate production there. Construction of the Yocsina plant originally started in 1959.
The company said, “At Holcim Argentina we are convinced of the potential of the Argentine market, and - as we have been doing for more than 90 years - we will continue to bet on the development of our country, both in private works and in public infrastructure."
Ambuja Cement implements biofuels for shipping
10 February 2021India: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Ambuja Cement has begun a trial of bio-diesel fuel blends for its shipping fleet. It says that the fuel change will reduce the fleet’s CO2 emissions by 25%.
Managing Director and chief executive officer Neeraj Akhoury said, “With the introduction of bio-diesel blends, we are significantly contributing towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by introducing a suitable alternate green fuel that helps achieve our parent, LafargeHolcim’s, sustainability vision of ‘net zero pledge 2030’.”
Lafarge France to convert Contes cement plant into a terminal
08 February 2021France: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge France plans to stop cement production at its integrated Contes cement plant in Alpes-Maritimes department and convert the site into a terminal instead. France Bleu radio has reported that the company has announced the loss of 65 jobs. The company promised to take measures to avoid forced redundancies, including offering positions at other Lafarge France sites and help with retraining. The union representing workers at the plant says that the total number of jobs at risk is 300. The producer said that its Bouc-Bel-Air (La Malle) integrated cement plant in Bouches-du-Rhône department near Marseille will provide jobs for truck drivers and subcontractors. It said, “This will require additional industrial maintenance and increase logistics needs. These jobs are not threatened, they should even develop."
Six workers will stay on at the Contes facility after the end of cement production.
ACC breaks ground on 2.7Mt/yr Ametha cement plant project
08 February 2021India: Ambuja Cements subsidiary ACC has held the groundbreaking ceremony for its upcoming 2.7Mt Ametha integrated cement plant near Kymore, Madhya Pradesh. The company says that the plant will be equipped with an additional 1Mt/yr grinding unit and a 15MW waste heat recovery (WHR) plant. It estimated that the new plant will generate over 5000 indirect jobs. The producer currently operates 3.6Mt/yr of clinker production and 2.7Mt/yr of grinding capacity in the state.
LafargeHolcim India chief executive officer and Ambuja Cements managing director and chief executive officer Neeraj Akhoury said, “Our Business Excellence Journey has been successful on account of the continuous support and guidance rendered to us by the State Government. It is a great privilege and honour for us to be one of the pioneers in the industrialisation journey of Madhya Pradesh. The new project will further strengthen our partnership and propel the growth of the State.”