Displaying items by tag: UK
Tarmac launches new cement packing plant
10 October 2016UK: Tarmac has launched a cement-packing unit at its Tunstead cement plant in Derbyshire. The Haver and Boecker 10-spout Adams 2000 packing plant increases the plant’s packing capacity. The launch takes place on the site’s 50th anniversary of cement production. The plant will manufacture Tarmac’s range of plastic packed and tubbed cement products for merchant and retail customers. The plant will also be used to house the company’s new 12.5kg mixer bags that were launched earlier in 2016.
“This new plant is an exciting development for us. It enhances our existing UK-wide supply capacity, ensuring we continue to offer customers and end users superior packed cement products, service and supply. As a business with a strong culture of innovation, the plant will use some of our most pioneering developments, such as plastic packaging,” said Kevan Greenhalgh, Packed Business Manager for Tarmac’s Cement business.
The plant has created 23 new jobs at Tunstead, which employs around 450 people. It will also offer training opportunities for existing employees, through the use of the packing plant’s automated technology. The plant launch coincides with the recent upgrading of Tunstead’s rail freight infrastructure, part of Tarmac’s strategy to support sustainable delivery of materials, and cut transport CO2 by 10% by 2020.
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/
Hanson Cement makes changes to bulk products division
28 September 2016UK: Hanson Cement’s bulk products division has promoted John Doolan to key account manager and Neil Jackson has been appointed as field sales manager. Doolan and Jackson will report to Mark Hickingbottom, the recently appointed national commercial director – bulk cement.
Doolan, who has worked for Hanson Cement for a number of years in different commercial roles, will work closely with Hanson’s key account customers to create and deliver strategic plans. He will also develop internal and external relations to carry out the company’s vision of outstanding customer service.
Jackson, previously Hanson’s area sales manager for the Midlands, will focus on sales strategy across the bulk division. He will manage a team of five district sales managers and ensure that customers’ needs are placed at the centre of the business.
John King Chains appoints John Wilson as Chain Division Account Manager
14 September 2016UK: John King Chains has appointed John Wilson as its Chain Division Account Manager. Wilson is a production engineer with 20 years of business development. He brings practical understanding of engineering processes and experience with leading Conveyor Chain manufacturers to the company.
Hanson Cement promotes Mark Hickingbottom and Andy Simpson
23 August 2016UK: Hanson Cement has appointed Mark Hickingbottom as its national commercial director for bulk cement and Andy Simpson as its national commercial director – packed. The appointments follow the recent retirement of commercial director Keith Ellis.
Hickingbottom has sales and marketing experience within Hanson’s bulk cement team, as well as a degree in Business Management. He is an associate member of The Institute of Concrete Technology and has spent over 12 years at Hanson delivering strategic plans across its product range.
Simpson, previously responsible for sales of all Hanson’s packed products, will build on developing trading relations with merchant customers as well as working with internal teams. He has over 15 years’ experience with Hanson and holds a degree in Business Studies.
Lee Gillman appointed as Sales and Marketing Director for Quinn Building Products in UK
03 August 2016UK: Quinn Building Products has appointed Lee Gillman as its new Sales and Marketing Director for the UK. Lee has worked for Quinn’s commercial team for three years. He has been promoted to lead on the management and development of core products within the Quinn portfolio in the UK. His experience working with merchants and contractors is intended to help the company continue to grow its client base on a national level.
UK: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has approved the acquisition by Breedon Aggregates of Hope Construction Materials subject to a sale of selected assets. Breedon has offered to sell 14 ready-mix concrete sites to Tarmac and the Concrete Company, which has been accepted by the CMA. As indicated in Breedon’s announcement on 21 July 2016, it now expects to complete the acquisition of Hope on 1 August 2016.
“The way is now clear for Hope to join us and create the UK’s largest independent construction materials group. It will give us a stronger platform for growth, with a broader geographical footprint, increased scale, an improved product mix, greater financial capacity and a team of highly talented people,” said Breedon’s Chairman, Peter Tom.
With the acquisition of Hope, Breedon Group, as the company will be named from 1 August 2016, Breedon will become the UK’s largest independent construction materials group, with the country’s largest cement plant, around 60 quarries, nearly 30 asphalt plants, approaching 200 ready-mixed concrete plants, some 2100 employees and approximately 750Mt of mineral reserves and resources. The enlarged group’s strategy will be to continue growing organically and through consolidation of the UK heavyside building materials sector.
UK: Hope Cement will use polyethylene (PE) packaging with the Roto-Packer Adams 10 from Haver & Boecker at its Dagenham terminal near London. The site started starting using the Adams system and a palletiser made by Newtec in June 2016, with an operation speed of 1200 bags/hr.
“We want the best benefits and services for our customers. PE packaging here plays an important role. Retailers and wholesalers can increase their stock levels and construction companies can leave their bags outside in the open without worry, no matter what the weather is,” said Gary Brennand, commercial director at Hope Cement. Brennand also cited safety and bag cleanliness as benefits of the new packaging.
Fire at Cemex South Ferriby cement plant
19 July 2016UK: Firefighters were called to an incident at the Cemex South Ferriby cement plant on 17 July 2016. A spokesman for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service told the Scunthorpe Telegraph that a fire involved a fuel leak from a pipeline which spread to cables, pipework and a disused control room within the kiln room. Fire damage was reported to the pipework, cables and one wall of the control room. The remainder of the building was damaged by smoke.
Lafarge India sale moves to final stage
07 July 2016India/Switzerland/UK: The five bidders that gave their final bids for Lafarge India’s 11Mt/yr cement business have been called to London, UK for the final leg of discussions, which started on 7 July 2016. Multinational bidders, including Mexico’s Cemex and China’s Anhui Conch, are believed to have bid aggressively. Domestic bidders Ajay Piramal Group, Nirma and Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Cement also submitted bids earlier in the week.
The bids are in the range of Euro1.19-1.33bn, which implies an enterprise value of US$108-121/t, comparable to UltraTech’s recent acquisition of JP Group’s cement assets for US$116/t.
“This discussion in London could take three to four days to finalise,” said a banker familiar with the development. “The winner will be decided not just on the price quoted for assets but also other conditions for the bid,” he said. Once the winning bid is decided, an exclusivity agreement will be signed with the bidder and it will take around three months to complete the deal.