Displaying items by tag: Plant
India: According to the Press Trust of India, at least five suspected A'chik Matgrik Elite Force (AMEF) terrorists attacked the Virgo cement plant in Damas, North Garo Hills, Meghalaya in the early morning on 18 June 2015. Two crude bombs were hurled in the incident, causing partial damage to a building. No casualties have been reported.
The men entered the plant through the second gate and asked the security personnel in the sentry post to open the main gate door. After they exploded one crude bomb inside the sentry post, causing partial damage, another crude bomb was thrown before escaping.
Cement plant announced in Honduras
17 June 2015Honduras: According to Central America Data, the Honduran government has signed an agreement with the Italian Goldlake Group to build a cement plant with an estimated value of US$200m. The agreement comes within the framework of the VII Italian-American Latin America and the Caribbean Conference with president Juan Orlando Hernandez as a witness of honour. Economic development minister Alden Rivera announced that construction of the cement plant would start in July 2015 in the Valley of Agalteca.
Russia: Russia's cement consumption may fall by 5 - 10% in 2015, according to Eurocement Group forecasts. The cement market contracted by 9% in January - April 2015. The decline slowed to 4 - 5% in May 2015, according to preliminary data.
The situation on the construction market is currently unfavourable for cement production as borrowing is too expensive, which slows new construction and gives developers an incentive to monetise projects at the implementation stage. "Developers are currently trying to complete projects that are already underway, so consumption of finished products has increased and companies are reluctant to begin new construction projects, which takes a toll on cement consumption," said Eurocement president Mikhail Skorokhod.
Eurocement has continued to upgrade its cement plants and all of its plants will switch to the dry-process for cement production by 2020. The programme will boost Eurocement's production capacity to 60Mt/yr from 50Mt/yr. Capital investment in the upgrades will total an estimated Euro1.62bn.
At the start of July 2015, a 1.3Mt/yr capacity plant will be commissioned in Ulyanovsk region's Sengileevsky district, according to Skorokhod. The plant will have the option of shipping product on the Volga river, reducing some of Eurocement's logistical costs.
Cement plants’ blasting threatens the Angat Dam
10 June 2015Philippines: According to local media, Cement plants using explosives to extract limestone in the mountains of eastern Bulacan poses a threat that might break the Angat Dam, a large hydroelectric facility that supplies electricity and water to the Manila metropolitan area.
"Years of massive quarrying of mineral deposits in the area had taken its toll. The removal of the mountains in the area is not only ugly, but also appears to be a disaster waiting to happen since the mining area is so close to the Angat dam," said Martin Francisco, chairman of the Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society Inc (SSMSI). He added that since Angat Dam lies along the West Valley fault line, the mining of limestone deposits in the area could weaken the structure of the dam and its foundation because cement plants are still using explosives in extracting marble and limestone.
In a report to Bulacan governor Wilhelmino M Sy-Alvarado, the SSMSI said that residents and a cultural minority group, the Dumagats, have complained about the vibrations and noise in the mountains caused by dynamite blasts. "The explosions are causing too much anxiety and could even scare the people out of their wits since the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has once again confirmed that the West Valley Fault is active. This is another threat to a dam break," said Francisco. He added that several landslides were reported in 2014 and several small sink holes in the mountains have appeared.
Alvarado has formed a team to investigate the matter and has requested that the cement plants refrain from using explosives to extract limestone.
Dangote to expand Ethiopian cement plant
09 June 2015Ethiopia: Accoring to Nigeria News, Dangote Group president Alhaji Aliko Dangote has said that 'plans are afoot' to double the capacity of the newly-opened US$500m, 2.5Mt/yr capacity cement plant in Mugher, Oromia, Ethiopia. Dangote said that the expansion work would begin before the end of 2015.
The decision to set up and then expand the plant was informed by the 'enabling' environment created by the Ethiopian government with massive investment in several large-scale infrastructure projects, including the construction of the continent's largest hydropower dam. The Ethiopian plant will create direct employment for 2000 people in the main plant operations and logistics, with a fleet of 600 trucks. 5000 indirect jobs will also be created.
Dangote said that achieving real economic integration in African would require political stability and a breakdown of the barriers and borders between countries, which hinders free flow of goods, services and people. "We need to make deliberate efforts to encourage Africans, not just foreigners, to invest in Africa. Dangote Cement is currently in 16 African countries with plans to invest in many more over the next years. There are a number of other successful pan-African brands today such as MTN, Shoprite and Ecobank," said Dangote. "We need to encourage this trend to see more investments in Africa by Africans. Above all, there is need to encourage the private sector to collaborate with governments across Africa to address the issue of infrastructure deficit, which has plagued the continent for decades."
Ethiopia's prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn said that as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the country's investment potential had barely been scratched. He said that the government was spending millions of dollars on critical infrastructure to address investment and align with policies that were already in place to aid investors. "Ethiopia represents a lucrative market that has barely been tapped with its 95 million people and growing economy," said Desalegn.
Ethiopia's Minister of Industry, Ahmed Abitew, said that, with the new plant, the country's cement sector would make significant growth in meeting local demand, which has grown due to infrastructural development. According to him, production has risen from 11.2Mt/yr to 17.5Mt/yr. "The government is giving due attention to the industrial sector with its average growth of 20%/yr," said Abitew.
Afghanistan: According to the BBC, following a meeting with the first vice president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Gen Abdorrashid Dostum, several Canadian businessmen said that they would invest US$8bn dollars in Afghanistan and later increase that amount.
The funds will be invested in the construction of a hydropower dam in Fariab Province and the extraction of gas and petroleum in Sheberghan City. Work to build a cement plant in Samangan Province, the extraction of coal in Takhar Province and gemstones in Badakhshan Province and an iron plant will also be part of their programmes. All the activities will be under control of the Afghan government, the World Bank and other Afghan government institutions.
BMM Cements plans to raise US$33m from IFC
05 June 2015India: According to the Business Standard, BMM Cements (BCL) plans to raise US$33m from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to fund its turnaround.
Currently part of Bharat Mines & Minerals group (BMM group), BCL shareholders in November 2014 had agreed to transfer ownership to Sagar Cements Limited (SCL). After the transfer, BCL will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCL.
SCL has 2.75Mt/yr of cement capacity spread across two plants in Matampally and Pedaveedu, both in Nalgonda, Telangana. BCL has a 0.95Mt/yr of integrated cement plant in Anantpur, Andhra Pradesh. Due to various internal and external constraints, the capacity utilisation of the plant has been low since inception and it has been incurring losses.
Devnya Cement opens Euro166m cement line
03 June 2015Bulgaria: Devnya Cement, part of Italcementi Group, has formally launched a Euro166m clinker and cement line at its plant near Varna on the Black Sea. The investment project, which was launched in 2012, included an overhaul of the existing conveyer belt for raw materials to the plant and the construction of new infrastructure, logistic and office facilities.
Zimbabwe: Over 600 families in Masvingo are set to be displaced to make room for a new cement plant. The displacement follows the discovery of rich limestone deposits in the area and about 16 villages will be affected. Initially, 200 villagers are expected to be employed at the plant.
Masvingo Rural District Council CEO Martin Mubviro said that they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a company that wanted to invest in the venture, Xhing Xhong Cement Company. "I can confirm that we've agreed with an investor who wants to establish a cement plant. We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the investor and it is now left to them to start the project. Close to 600 families may be affected, although the exact number of those to be moved will be ascertained after feasibility studies are complete. The land where they should be resettled is yet to be identified," said Mubviro.
He said that major infrastructural improvements around Masvingo would be made once operations begin. "While some villagers will feel aggrieved to be moved from their original homes, there is a bigger picture of employment as many unemployed youths are going to get jobs," said Mubviro. "The plant will also add value to the province's economy through infrastructural development. People in this province will also get their cement for building nearer, so too will businesspeople who deal in building materials. Thus it will have an effect on prices of cement."
Namibia: Namibia's sole cement manufacturer, Ohorongo Cement, has said that 2015 has thus far seen tremendous results compared to all of its previous years. It started production in 2011.
Managing director Hans-Wilhelm Schutte attributed the much-improved performance to an increase in infrastructure projects by both the government and the private sector, as well as export inroads made in neighbouring countries. Schutte admitted that initial sales were 'extremely tough,' but was quick to add that the plant, which cost US$203m, has been running perfectly since comissioning and expects both local and regional sales to grow.
"Since 2011 we have improved significantly. Towards the second half of 2013 things really started picking up and 2014 saw us doing really well in terms of sales," said Schutte. He noted that large infrastructure projects such as NamPort's port expansion and the Neckartal dam have made notable contributions to Ohorongo's performance.