Global Cement News

Algeria: LafargeHolcim Algeria has conducted its fourth cement export operation to West Africa. Nearly 8500t of Ordinary Portland Cement were despatched from the port of Arzew in Oran, according to the Algeria Press Service. It follows previous batches in December 2017, March 2018 and the start of April 2018.

The subsidiary of LafargeHolcim aims to increase its cement and clinker exports to West Africa to 5Mt by 2020. In Algeria the company runs two cement plants at M'Sila and Oggaz in Mascara. It also operates a plant at Biskra as a joint-venture with Souakri Group and it manages SCMI’s Meftah's plant in a partnership.

Philippines: Phinma Group plans to buy a cement plant in Mariveles in Bataan and use it as a terminal to discharges exports from Vietnam. President and chief executive officer Ramon del Rosario, Jr added that the site will be operational by May 2019, according to GMA News. The site will be used to import and process 2mt/yr of cement. A deep water port at Mariveles is anticipated to allow Panamax size ships to discharge cement.

Australia: Adelaide Brighton has signed a deal with BHP Billiton for the continuation of supply of cement and lime to BHP’s Olympic Dam mine in South Australia. The new contract maintains and extends the long-term relationship between subsidiaries of the companies. It is expected this relationship will continue for a number of years.

India: UltraTech Cement has commissioned a new 2.5Mt/yr plant at Manawar, Dhar District in Madhya Pradesh. The cement producer said that it set a record by commissioning the plant in less than a year and that it cost less than US$225m.

The plant’s kiln is designed for different types of energy sources, including alternative fuels. The unit also includes a 1.75Mt/yr grinding unit at the site with an auto-loading facility. Another additional 1.75Mt/yr grinding unit and a 13MW waste heat recovery unit are also being built. Both of these projects are expected to be completed before September 2018.

The new plant is planned to take advantage of the state’s main industrial belt, the Dewas-Ratlam-Pithampurlndore. Following the commissioning of the plant, UltraTech Cement has 19 integrated cement plants in the country with a total cement production capacity of 96.5Mt/yr.

India: M P Birla Cement has launched its new so-called premium brand ‘Perfect Plus’ from its Maihar plant in Madhya Pradesh and its Chanderia plant in Rajasthan. The product uses deflocculated fine particles of cement to form a Calcium-Silicate-Hydrate (C-S-H) gel that improves the quality of the concrete made from it. Reported advantages for concrete made from the product include high early strength, reduce permeability and better water demand to reduce voids and increase strength.