Global Cement News

US: Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has resigned. The decision follows investigations into his security spending and other expenses, according to the Associated Press. In his resignation letter Pruitt said he had no regrets. He will be replaced by acting administrator Andrew Wheeler.

France: LafargeHolcim France has inaugurated a new clinker loader at its Martres-Tolosane cement plant. The Euro4.4m project consists of a 1000t silo fed by a belt conveyor and a loading area for trains and trucks. It is intended to supply the grinding mill at LafargeHolcim’s La Couronne plant with raw materials. The loader was built by DB2i, a subsidiary of engineering company Demathieu & Bard with the assistance of Comminges Bâtiment and Alibert & Fils. The project is part of a wider Euro100m investment initiative at the site.

Switzerland: Cement deliveries grew by 3% year-on-year to 1.22Mt in the second quarter of 2018 from 1.19Mt in the same period in 2017. Deliveries for the first half of the year grew slightly to 2.06Mt according to the CemSuisse.

Pakistan: Cement despatches rose by 15% year-on-year to 23.7Mt in the first half of 2018 from 20.5Mt in the same period in 2017. All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers' Association (APCMA) data showed that despatches in the north of the country rose by 13% to 17.5Mt and in the south they grew by 7% to 3.8Mt. However, despatches in the south fell by 13% year-on-year to 4.2Mt in June 2018.

Cameroon: Engineering Construction Manufacturing and Trading plans to build a new 0.5Mt/yr cement plant. The project has an investment of US$27m, according to the Agence de Presse Africaine. The local company has signed an agreement with the Investment Promotion Agency to build the plant. It enables it to receive customs and tax breaks as part of the deal.