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Nepalese standards agency bans cement products 14 September 2016
Nepal: The Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) has temporarily banned several brands of cement following tests in which they failed to reach minimum standards set by the government. The bureau has required cement producers to recall the affected brands as ‘soon as possible,’ according to the República newspaper.
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Pozzolanic Portland Cement (PPC) Super Advance and Infratech cement produced by Shree Araniko Cement, Reliance Super Shakti and Reliance Cement produced by Reliance Cement and PPC Kalash Gold Cement produced by Shree Cement have been banned for failing to meet compressive strength level standards. In addition the PPC brand of Bajra Shakti, Tri Shakti Supper and JBC cement produced by Jaya Bageshwori Cements, PPC brand of Yeti, Rock Strong and Gaurav Cement produced by Jay Mangalmaya Cements have been banned for exceeded the 28% insoluble residue level set by the government.
Steppe Cement reduces loss in first half of 2016 14 September 2016
Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement has reduced its consolidated loss after tax to US$1.5m in the first half of 2016 from US$2.2m in the same period in 2015. Its turnover fell by 47% year-on-year to US$23.7m from US$44.7m due to a devaluation of the Kazakh Tenge. Despite this, it increased its sales of cement by 6% to 0.76Mt from 0.72Mt.
The cement producer reported that the Kazakh cement market decreased by 10% during the first half of 2016. It expects a market of about 9Mt in 2016, down from 9.6Mt in 2015. Steppe Cement has increased its market share to 18% year-on-year in the reporting period from 16% and it expects to reach a share of 19% for the full year. Imports of cement into Kazakhstan have decreased by 63% in 2016 as the Russian Rouble exchange rate has returned to its historical level against the KZT. Imports represent 5% of the market down from 12% in 2015.
W&H renames BSW Machinery as W&H Machinery 14 September 2016
Austria: Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) has renamed BSW Machinery as W&H Machinery. This follows the integration of BSW Machinery, a woven packaging equipment and bag producer, into W&H over the last decade.
BSW Machinery was originally founded in Austria in 2005 focusing on the polypropylene woven market. Meanwhile, another W&H company at the same production plant in the Czech Republic concentrated producing sub-assemblies and components for the group. Both operations have now merged forming W&H Machinery. Expansion is planned for the plant and the newly named company employs over 400 workers.
John King Chains appoints John Wilson as Chain Division Account Manager
Written by Global Cement staff
14 September 2016
UK: 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.
Ash Grove Cement appoints Chengqing Qi as technical centre director
Written by Global Cement staff
14 September 2016
US: Ash Grove Cement has appointed Chengqing (Cheng) Qi as its technical centre director at the company’s headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas. In his new role, Qi will oversee operations of the company’s technical centre. Greg Barger, an American Concrete Institute (ACI) Fellow and Ash Grove’s long-time technical centre director, will retire in 2017. Barger will continue in this role and work alongside Qi until the transition is complete.
Most recently Qi served as technical manager for a cement manufacturer where he was responsible for troubleshooting cement, concrete and aggregate performance, testing materials and evaluating new material sources. Prior to that, he was with Professional Service Industries in Fairfax, Virginia, as a materials engineer and petrographer.
Qi has authored or contributed to more than 20 technical papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. He is a member of multiple technical committees for the ACI and ASTM International.
Qi holds a doctorate in civil engineering, with an emphasis on cement and concrete materials, from Purdue University’s School of Civil Engineering in West Lafayette, Indiana, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in materials science and engineering from Southeast University in Nanjing, China.