Finland: Metso is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a photo exhibition illustrating how the company has taken part in shaping and building the modern world. Interim chief executive officer (CEO) and chief financial officer (CFO) Eeva Sipilä will open the event on 18 September 2018 at Sanoma House in Helsinki. The exhibition will be open to the public until the end of September 2018.

The company was first established in 1868 when Erik Jan Hammarberg set up the Sunds Bruk ironworks in Sweden. As the business developed its products and services widened and its ownership changed. In 1991, the operations become part of Rauma-Repola. Rauma then merged with Valmet in 1999 to form Metso. At present the company operates in more than 50 countries and over 12,000 staff. It serves the mining, aggregates, recycling and process industries.

A central part of the company’s focus includes aggregates and minerals processing. Key parts of Metso’s development in this area include the creation of the Nordberg Manufacturing Company in 1886 by Bruno Nordberg, a Finnish migrant who settled in Michigan in the US and produced some of the first crushing equipment for mines. In 1928, Nordberg acquired Symons cone crusher technology. Bergeaud & Bruno was established in France in 1895 to manufacture crushing equipment, and in Tampere, Finland, Lokomo produced its first jaw crushers at the beginning of the 1920s. Each of these companies and their products continue to the present day as products offered by Metso.

Taiwan/Turkey: Taiwan Cement and Turkey’s Sanko Holding have signed a memorandum of understanding and a confidentiality clause about the company’s plan to invest in Sanko’s cement business. Taiwan Cement said it would continue talks with the Turkish business group about a strategic partnership and would make details public once the parties sign a definitive contract, according to the Taipei Times newspaper. The cooperation agreement was first announced in June 2018.

Nigeria: Financial analysts Cordros Securities have blamed falling earnings at Lafarge Africa on the merger of its Nigerian businesses with Lafarge South Africa. In a research report the analysts found that the merger increased operating costs and reduced shareholder value, according to the Vanguard newspaper. Lafarge WAPCO’s earnings per share, earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) and profit before tax have all fallen since 2013. It also found that operating costs had increased ‘significantly’ following the merger, debt had risen and that earnings had also been hit by efficiency issues.

Lafarge announced plants to merge its businesses in Nigeria and South Africa in 2014. The move saw the consolidation of Lafarge South Africa, United Cement Company of Nigeria, Ashakacem and Atlas Cement to Lafarge WAPCO. It was subsequently renamed Lafarge Africa.

India: Bharathi Cement has launched its BharathiUltraFast product for the market in Karnataka. The OPC 53 cement product promises faster pre-casting work, even in humid conditions, high early strength and a low heat of hydration to minimise crack formation.

The cement producer is a subsidiary of Vicat. The French company acquired a 51% stake in Bharathi Cement in 2010. It also owns Kalburgi Cement, formerly known as Vicat Sagar Cement. Bharathi Cement operates a 5Mt/yr integrated plant at Nallalingayapalli in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh and Kalburgi Cement runs a 2.75Mt/yr plant at Chatrasala in Kalaburagi district of Karnataka. Both plants market their products under the brand name ‘Bharathi Cement.’