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Holcim plans rehabilitation of Westport cement plant 19 January 2016
New Zealand: Plans for the future use of Holcim's Westport cement plant after it closes are still unknown. Holcim plans to close its Westport plant in 2016 in favour of importing cement from Japan, resulting in 105 staff and contractors losing their jobs.
The company announced in September 2015 that the Westport plant might close at the end of May 2016 and plans were under way for the plant to be demolished and the quarry site rehabilitated. Holcim owned more than 500 hectares of land around Westport, including the Cape Foulwind cement plant and quarry, 11 houses at Cape Foulwind and a rail siding near Westport.
General Manager Ross Pickworth said that no decisions had been made on the future of the company's land and assets in Westport. "The focus is on looking after our people and the work that needs to be done before plant closure. Preparatory and planning work is being carried out with a focus mainly on the plant site, quarry and houses," said Pickworth.
The company was investigating what work was needed on the 11 houses occupied by staff near Westport so that they could be sold after the plant closed. The Buller District Council was looking for new businesses to occupy the plant site and make use of the town's port. The council owned the port and transporting Holcim's cement was its main source of income. Council Business Development Facilitator, John Hill, had been investigating turning the plant into an eco-park, which could include making energy from rubbish incineration or turning waste timber into diesel.
Pickworth said that demolition work was unlikely to commence until late 2016, so any potential users had, "Quite some time to register interest in the site and any equipment that may be of use."
The council had been trying to attract new industries to Buller to increase employment opportunities in the region. "Holcim is supporting this process by promoting its Cape Foulwind site to see if there is interest from other potential users of the site," said Pickworth. "An advisor has been appointed to assist Holcim with demolition planning and project management. The cost of demolition will depend on what buildings and assets may be left on site and tenders will be called for such work closer to the time."
Cimpor's US$145m investment in Ponta Grossa plant postponed 19 January 2016
Brazil: Intercement's Cimpor, part of the Camargo Corrêa group, has announced that its US$145m project to build a plant in Itaiacoca, Parana, is suspended. The decision was made due to the ongoing economic crisis in Brazil. The Ponta Grossa plant had been announced in 2011 and was set to have an initial production capacity of 1.2Mt/yr of cement and create 1000 jobs. The company has not disclosed any details about a new timetable for the project, but has confirmed that it is still in plans for expansion in the coming years.
Sino Zim to introduce 42.5 grade cement 18 January 2016
Zimbabwe: Sino Zimbabwe Cement Company 42.5 grade Ordinary Portland cement for the construction of tall structures, bridges and roads in the first quarter of 2016.
The Gweru-based cement manufacturer, a joint venture between the Industrial Development Corporation and China Building Materials Corporation (CBMC), already has 22.5 grade masonry cement, which is recommended for masonry work, brick, mortar, plastering and general building and 32.5 grade portland composite cement, which is used for the construction of high strength structures.
Wang Yong, Managing Director of Sino Zimbabwe Cement Company, said that the company was now awaiting certification from the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) before they could make the product available on the market. "We have already applied for the licence for us to introduce 42.5 grade cement on the market and I believe it will be issued after SAZ, which has already collected some samples, has certified the product," said Yong.
Canada/Luxembourg: Algoma Central Corp has entered into a joint venture agreement with Nova Marine Holding SA of Luxembourg and its subsidiaries to create a global fleet of cement carriers to support infrastructure projects worldwide. Algoma will own 50% of the joint venture, which will be named NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers (NACC).
"We are very excited about the opportunity this investment with Nova presents," said Ken Soerensen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Algoma. "NACC is an excellent example of a global short-sea shipping business that shares many characteristics with our domestic dry-bulk business. In fact, Algoma currently provides technical and operations management services for three cement carrying vessels on the Great Lakes on behalf of major cement producers."
The demand for modern efficient cement carriers continues to increase globally. Growth is fuelled by demand for infrastructure in developing regions, by infrastructure renewal in mature markets, by consolidation among major cement producers and by the need to renew an aging fleet.
"We are very pleased to be able to work with our experienced partner, Nova, in this segment," said Wayne Smith, Senior Vice President, Commercial, of Algoma. "We see opportunities in both existing markets and globally for the renewal of cement carrier vessels."
Under the terms of the agreement, upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent, Algoma will acquire a 50% interest in the existing cement carrier fleet owned by Nova, comprising three pneumatic cement carriers now in operation and two additional vessels under construction. These five vessels are and will be deployed in various regional markets in Asia and Europe.
"The cement business is becoming more global and consolidated. We are excited by the prospects of this venture because it aims to create a dedicated group to serve the cement industry in its global logistic needs," said Vincenzo Romeo, Chief Executive Officer of Nova Marine Holding SA.
Mexico: Cemex has contributed to the restoration of the Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo highway, the main export-import route between Mexico and Texas, US. With 52% of Mexico's imports and exports moving along this highway, it is one of the main trade routes across the Mexican and US border.
With more than 15,000/day of trucks using the highway, its repair required extremely resistant and durable construction materials that guarantee road safety. To this end, Cemex supplied 98,000m3 of hydraulic concrete to restore a 15.6km stretch of the highway.
Cemex solved the challenge of paving the road without stopping traffic by utilising different work shifts to minimise the potential effect on this crowded highway and, simultaneously, guarantee correct placement of the hydraulic concrete. The project, which required 30,000t of cement, directly employed more than 100 people.