Global Cement News

China: Hebei Jintaicheng Building Materials Shareholding Co. has ordered a Loesche vertical roller mill from Loesche Mills (Shanghai) to grind granulated blast furnace slag.

Hebei Jintaicheng has ordered a LM 4600CS2 that will produce up to 90t/hr with 4500 Blaine. The mill drive will have a capacity of 3150kW. The contract was signed in December 2011, the components have been delivered and the mill is currently being installed.

Hebei Jintaicheng, a building materials processing private enterprise founded in 2009, is located in the industrial area of Baita County, Shahe City. The company produces and sells ground granulated blast furnace slag. The project has a planned output of 500,000t/yr of ground granulated blast furnace slag.

Sri Lankan cement demand fell in the first half of 2013. Yet this doesn't seem to be stopping the cement industry's slow recovery following the civil war that ended in 2009.

As reported by Sri Lankan media around the launch of Holcim Lanka's 2012 Sustainability Report, the local cement industry has seen volumes fall by 7% but this is expected to improve in the second half. Tokyo Cement, a grinding plant operator, confirmed a similar drop in the first quarter of 2013.

Despite the talk of downturn so far in 2013, Tokyo Cement has announced plans for a 1Mt/yr cement plant costing US$50m complete with its own captive biomass power plant. In addition, plans have emerged of a joint venture involving Pakistan's D.G. Khan Cement to build a grinding plant at Hambantota in the south of the island. Costing US$15m, the plant is intended to process exports to South Africa and Kenya.

The explicit intention to produce clinker in Pakistan and then grind it in Sri Lanka before export to a third destination makes an interesting notion. The Pakistan cement producer may benefit from being able to export cement from Sri Lanka with the added security of knowing that the grinding plant is located in a growing market itself. A helpful strategy given Pakistan's cement production overcapacity.

The Hambantota project is also noteworthy because another Pakistan-based company, Thatta Cement, announced in April 2013 that it had signed an agreement with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority to a build a grinding and bagging plant at Hambantota. Also in 2013 the Nepali entrepreneur Binod Chaudhary submitted a US$75m plan for a cement plant in the north of the island.

Of course all of this appears miniscule in comparison to the level of investment Semen Indonesia has chalked up to spend between now and 2016: up to a whopping US$2bn.

Elsewhere in the news this week the price of extending a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deadline has revealed itself to be US$1.5m. Lafarge North America has succeeded in pushing back pollution controls at its Ravena plant by over a year in exchange for interim limits and an investment in air pollution projects in the local community. It's not a fine but the announcement follows other pollution-related payments at cement plants run by Holcim and Ash Grove. Let's hope that any new plants in Sri Lanka avoid these kind of payments.

US: Ash Grove Cement Company has announced that Stuart E Tomlinson has joined the company as its vice president of manufacturing for the Midwest region and will be based in the company's home office in Overland Park, Kansas. He join will Ash Grove on 15 August 2013 and replaces Edwin Pierce, who will retire on 31 December 2013.

"Stu is a cement industry veteran and he possesses more than three decades of experience," said Ash Grove's senior vice president of manufacturing. "He is an industry leader and will be an important part of the Ash Grove leadership team."

In his new role, Tomlinson will direct Ash Grove's cement operations in the Midwest region, which includes four cement manufacturing plants in Chanute (Kansas), Foreman (Arkansas), Louisville (Nebraska) and Midlothian (Texas).

Ireland: Irish cement conglomerate Cement Roadstone Holdings (CRH) has announced that Albert Manifold will become group chief executive on 1 January 2014 following the retirement of current chief executive Myles Lee after 32 years with the group.

Manifold, a board member and CRH's CEO since January 2009, has held a variety of senior positions within the company, including managing director of the Europe Materials Division and group development director. Prior to joining CRH in 1998, he was CEO with a private equity group.

Commenting on the appointment, CRH's chairman, Nicky Hartery, said, "I am delighted to announce Albert's appointment as the next chief executive of CRH. This follows a comprehensive selection process led by the Board's Succession Committee."

"Albert will succeed Myles in the New Year, facilitating an orderly transition at chief executive level," continued Hartery. "Albert brings to his new role a deep knowledge of the industry and proven international executive experience."

India: Irish building materials supplier CRH is considering acquiring Sree JayaJothi cements, part of Shriram Group, according to the Economic Times of India. CRH may purchase Sree JayaJothi cements through its joint-venture with MyHome Industries. The value of the deal is around US$250m.

Sree JayaJothi cements has a cement plant at Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, with a clinker production capacity of 2Mt/yr and a cement production capacity of 3.2Mt/yr. Currently CRH has a cement production capacity of 3.2Mt/yr in India through a joint-venture.

In response to queries, Shriram confirmed to the Bombay Stock Exchange that it is discussion with potential investors including CRH.