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Loesche mills for cement plant in Tanzania 28 January 2014
Tanzania: Loesche GmbH has received an order from Tanga Cement Company Ltd in Tanzania for the supply of two vertical roller mills.
The order covers engineering and supply of two Loesche vertical roller mills, one LM 41.4, which will grind 200t/hr of cement raw material with a fineeness of 15% R 90μm, one LM 19.2 D coal mill with a grinding capacity of 20t/hr. and a fineness of 12% R 90μm. Included in the scope of supply is a rotary star feeder for the raw meal mill and a coal screw feeder for the coal mill. The delivery of the mill key parts is planned for July 2014.
This is Tanga Cement's first order from Loesche. Tanga Cement's plant, which was commissioned in 1978, has a production capacity of 3000t/day.
Assam farmers lay siege on cement company land 27 January 2014
India: The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a local residents association in Assam, laid claim to land that belongs to a cement manufacturing company in Assam, India, on 24 January 2014.
KMSS chief, Akhil Gogoi, claimed that Topcem India Ltd had breached an agreed land occupancy by possessing the 55,100m2 of farmland. A panel will prepare a list of farmers, to whom the land will be distributed, by the end of January 2014.
The KMSS has also threatened to occupy land belonging to another cement company. The Federation of Industry and Commerce of the North East Region has condemned the move.
Martin Marietta in advanced talks to acquire Texas Industries 27 January 2014
Update 29 January 2014
US: US construction materials giant Martin Marietta has agreed to purchase Texas Industries (TXI), which has 6Mt/yr of cement capacity and a raft of ready mix concrete facilities in Texas and California, for US$2.7bn.
Martin Marietta's chief executive, C Howard Nye, said, "We like the Texas market a lot. This augments the position we have in Dallas - Fort Worth. The Texas market, for the long term, is one of the most dynamic in the country."
Original story
US: Construction materials maker Martin Marietta Materials is in advanced talks to acquire Texas Industries. Texas Industries currently has a market capitalisation of US$2.15bn. A deal is expected as early as February 2014.
Reports in mid-December 2013 revealed that the owners of Texas Industries were exploring a sale of the company and were working with Citigroup to find a buyer. Texas Industries' largest shareholders, Southeastern Asset Management and NNS Holding, have been seeking to sell their stakes in the company for some time. Combined, the two investors own more than 51% of the company.
Texas Industries has a 6Mt/yr cement production capacity that is expected to grow to almost 8Mt/yr in the next few years. The company reported a second quarter net loss of US$17.6m in January 2014, despite a growth in net sales from US$168m in the second quarter of 2013 to US$209 for the same period of 2014. The net loss was blamed on higher interest expenses.
CBR’s white cement plant in Belgium faces closure 27 January 2014
Belgium: CBR, part of HeidelbergCement Group, has announced that it plans to close its Harmignies white cement plant in Belgium.
Reasons for the potential closure include structural difficulties, high logistics and production costs, an unfavourable geographical location and a decline in the market for white cement. Although a number of restructuring measures were implemented in 2007 and 2013, in addition to investments aimed at lowering production costs, these were not enough to offset the challenges facing the plant.
If the closure goes ahead, 97 jobs could be affected. CBR management and staff representatives will enter into a period of consultation regarding the procedure.
Legal metrology raids on cement warehouses 24 January 2014
India: Legal metrology officials have conducted surprise checks on cement warehouses at Nacharam and Orient Cement facilities in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The officials registered six cases pertaining to various violations on 23 January 2013 and also suspended a district inspector from Adilabad for dereliction of duty.
Legal metrology representatives raided warehouses owned by Birla A1 Premium Orient Cement Ltd, Maha Shakti Cement and NCL Industries Ltd in Nacharam, Andhra Pradesh and found 50kg cement bags that were light by 20-1000g. Following the raids, the officials seized 8210 cement bags from three warehouses.
Also on 23 January 2013, metrology officials conducted searches on Orient Cement Industries in Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh. The officials registered cases for using packing machines without getting them verified by the department.
S Rajeshwar, district inspector of Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh state, was suspended for earlier visiting Orient Cement Industries and deliberately coming back without finding any violations.