Global Cement News

US: Buzzi Unicem USA has announced that it plans to modernise and expand its Maryneal cement plant in Texas. The updated plant will have a 1.2Mt/yr cement capacity, up from 0.55Mt/yr. State-of-the-art pollution control equipment will be installed that will significantly reduce NOx emissions. The major components that will be installed during the expansion will include a new raw mill, a preheater/precalciner kiln and cooler system, a 4500KW finish mill, a solid fuel grinding and feed system and continued use of a newly commissioned Fives FCB Horomill Finish Mill.

"As an industry leader in quality and service, Buzzi Unicem USA is committed to sustainable, environmentally-responsible manufacturing at all of its plants," said David Nepereny, CEO of Buzzi Unicem USA. "The Maryneal plant expansion will result in a world-class facility that has the latest pyroprocessing, environmental and safety equipment."

The expansion will create an additional 200 full-time jobs for the 2 - 3 years that construction project is expected to last.

Brazil: A VW Caddy was cemented to the pavement in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, after a car dealer refused to move it.

Local media reports that the pavement has been used to display cars for sale for more than 20 years. While it is apparently not illegal to park cars on the pavement because it is a public space, it was not possible to complete necessary construction work on the pavement due to the parked car.

After the car dealer refused to move the car, the construction workers responded by cementing it in place. Celso Antonio de Faria, the owner of the cement company stated "He said I could not lay a finger on the car."

Tanzania: Mbeya Cement Lafarge Tanzania has inaugurated a new bag filter which significantly reduces the stack emissions to meet the national and international standards.

The new bag filter, inaugurated on 13 December 2013 at Songwe in Mbeya, reduces the stack emissions to 10mg/m3 which is lower than the 2013 Tanzania Environmental Regulations of 50mg/m3 and is in line with the Lafarge Industrial targets as well as the global environmental standards.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Lafarge Tanzania's Chief Executive Officer, Catherine Langrency said that the company has invested US$2.06m in the project. "The inauguration of this bag filter further underlines Lafarge Tanzania's commitment to continuous improvement as part of the Lafarge Group Sustainability Ambition 2020, which is to have responsible and environmentally friendly operations," Langrency said.

Lafarge Tanzania plans to increase its cement capacity in Tanzania to 700,000t/yr by adding a new cement mill, a clinker line upgrade and a new packing plant. Project completion is expected in the second quarter of 2015.

Tanzania: The Tanzanian Portland Cement Company (Twiga Cement) has donated food valued at US$18,700 to four orphanages. The food is intended to feed orphans at the Kurasini, Malaika, Umra and Mamalenga orphanages, all in Dar es Salaam, for three months.

The Director of Human Resources Management for Twiga Cement, Jayne Nyimbo, said that it has become a tradition for the company to give donations at the end of each year. Around 300 orphans were gathered at a special festive meal, where they had the opportunity to play with 'Father Christmas' and have lunch with Twiga cement staff at the WAMA and Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam.

"We have brought children together to give them a day of pleasure, knowing that they do not have parents to spend time with, so we thought the least we could do is give them a Christmas donation that they deserve," said Nyimbo.

Kenya: Increased clinker imports have been recorded at the Port of Mombasa, Kenya.

The surge in clinker imports is attributed to an unprecedented boom in the construction industry at the end of 2013 as a result of improved economic growth, rising disposable incomes and an expanding real estate industry.