Displaying items by tag: software

Israel: Seebo has announced an extended Series B funding round for a total of US$24m. Vertex Ventures is leading the round, in which10D, The Phoenix and Leumi Partners participate. Seebo will use the funding for a further expansion to its global reach, as well as enhancement of its process-based artificial intelligence product.

The company says that its product enables cement producers to identify process-driven inefficiencies in their operations in order to predict and prevent production losses. It can target losses including those involving kiln throughputs, emissions, clinker quality and ammonia usage. General partner Yanai Oron claimed that Seebo is the only supplier providing a productised solution based on artificial intelligence across the full product line.

France: Fives has selected Wallix’s Wallix Inside software to improve the online security of its subsidiary Fives Cortx’s industrial data products. The supplier says that this will give cement plant users secure access to energy bills, cost optimisation, site maintenance and production line analytics.

Fives CortX chief executive officer David Zak said, “Fives provides flexible and tailored solutions to optimise industrial sites’ production and maintenance by capitalising on field data. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the core of our systems and cybersecurity at the forefront of our minds. Therefore, we ensure the security of flows and data by design. With the solution Wallix Inside, we incorporate the best technologies in our solutions to guarantee an increased level of security between connected machines and our Gateway Internet of Things (IOT), enabling our clients to fully enter Industry 4.0.”

US: Forney LP has appointed Peter Jones as Platform Sales Manager for its ForneyVault construction materials testing (CMT) software platform.

Prior to joining Forney, Jones was Senior Municipal Software Specialist/Multi-Link Division for Link Computer Corporation in Bellwood, Pennsylvania. He also worked as Commercial Account Manager/Natural Resources for W W Grainger of Pittsburgh. He also spent 12 years with Sysco Food Services in Pittsburgh, last serving as Business Development Manager. He holds a bachelor's degree in management, accounting and finance from Hiram College in Ohio.

Forney LP sells products in the materials testing industry with a focus on material testing equipment for cementitious materials like cement, mortar, grout and concrete for the construction industry, downhole cement and proppant materials for oil and gas industry, and general metals testing. It sells its products to more than 75 countries. Its corporate headquarters is located near Zelienople, Pennsylvania with manufacturing facilities and stocking warehouses in the eastern and western US.

Mexico: Cemex subsidiary Cemex Ventures has invested in excavation materials marketplace Soil Connect. The online platform says that it connects the supply and demand algorithmically based on the users' proximity and needs. It is mainly used for aggregates. In digitising the marketplace it reduces landfill while lowering transportation distances, according to the investor. It says that this results in tremendous cost savings for construction professionals. This also promotes circular economy within the sector.

Cemex Ventures’ investment head Cristina Aparicio said, "For any relevant actor with a view to the future of our ecosystem, it is a priority to offer a solution to the millions of tonnes of materials that are generated annually in demolition projects, since much of the construction materials of tomorrow come from the projects to be demolished. We are very excited about this agreement with the Soil Connect team, which has created a business that adds value, both to those who generate the waste and to those who need construction material, prioritising this tool that provides agility."

US: HarbisonWalker International (HWI) has enhanced its Mobile Refractory Tools app based on customer input to increase the ease of refractory products and services optimisation in the field. HWI customers and Contractor/Installer Network (CIN) members can use the free app to access the refractory mix calculator to compute mix ratios and times for HWI products, search safety data sheets, find HWI Global Sourcing Center (GSC) locations, and contact HWI. The company says that CIN members can also gain access to HWI's Pocket Reference Guide (PRG), which contains comprehensive product information, brick sizes, shapes and combinations, sprung arches, anchors, and area and volume data. All business portal account holders receive basic access, along with product data, including datasheets, installation guidelines, curing and dry-out schedules, and the new kiln brick calculator.

Senior vice president (SVP) Mike Werner said, “We are always listening to our customers and the latest advancements in our mobile app reflect what our contractor/installers and customers told us would help them the most on the job.” He added, “HWI app users can find and calculate what they need to know about our products and services when they need them. We're constantly innovating with technology to help our customers and the overall refractories industry, with offerings like our High Temperature Times podcast and our Mobile Refractory Tools app. On-going updates to the app are an important part of our commitment.”

Thailand: Siam City Cement has signed a new contract with US-based SAP Ariba for the further digitisation of its end-to-end procurement processes by using the latter’s software products. The producer first partnered with the company for “sourcing, contracts, catalogues, supplier information management and supplier collaboration” in 2016. Following the latest release in August 2020, SAP Ariba’s products support the Thai language, “making it easier for buyers and suppliers to communicate and transact over Ariba Network.”

Head of group procurement Benjamin Goodwin said, “From the beginning, we saw our procurement transformation as an opportunity to bring more value to the organisation and to our network of suppliers in Thailand and beyond. Our recent renewal of SAP Ariba solutions is a result of the successful partnership cultivated over the years, which set us up to achieve process efficiencies and cost savings from automation, standardization and improved collaboration with suppliers. We look forward to continuing our journey with SAP Ariba.”

Canada: Testing specialist Giatec has launched Roxi, an artificially intelligent (AI) concrete visualisation programme for builders. PR Newswire has reported that Roxi “provides insights regarding the amount of cement that is needed, including the amount that can be removed without compromising the concrete's setting time or strength development,” aiding project completion while diminishing extraneous cement demand.

The company thanked Sustainable Development Technology Canada for its US$1.83m grant towards the development of Roxi, part of the fund’s US$44.6m total contribution to “clean technology projects” so far in 2020.

Bangladesh: Metrocem Cement says that it has contracted with US-based software specialist NURTech to “develop a unique AOS and IOS-based integrated software for Metrocem Cement. This will ensure smooth operation and alleviate complications, which in turn will benefit employee as well as customers.” Managing director Khandakar Rifat said that he looked forward to the fruits of this expansion of Metrocem Cement’s existing relationship with the supplier.

Germany: Currax and Siemens have announced their collaboration on a mill operations digitisation pilot project involving the Simotics Connect 400 motor data collector and transmitter. They hope that analysis of data processed via the Simotics 400 will better enable the remote operating of mills ‘to increase efficiency and component life’ and speeding the shift towards automation and production that is resilient to crises such as the coronavirus outbreak.

China: Cemex’s corporate venture capital subsidiary Cemex Ventures is preparing to enter the Chinese market offering innovations for the construction industry. It wants to build relationships with startups in order to do this and it has signed deals with local companies Glodon, a digital platform service provider in construction industry based in Beijing, and Interdream Ventures, a venture capital firm that focuses on the digitalisation of construction and decoration industry.

"This type of alliance between two segments that fit together, is key to finding new successful business models, and operate in the Chinese market. Glodon and Interdream Ventures also have a complete vision of the entire value chain and are good partners to drive the construction revolution,” said Juan Nieto, a representative of Cemex Ventures Asia.

Cemex Ventures is the corporate venture capital wing of Cemex that was launched in 2017. It invests in startups with potential in the construction industry and works with entrepreneurs, universities and other stakeholders.