Displaying items by tag: GCW301
UK: A proposed strike by Cemex UK heavy good vehicles (HGV) drivers threatens the supply of construction materials for major construction projects, says the Unite union. The 82 HGV drivers who are members of Unite returned an 87% vote in favour of strike action and action short of strike in response to wage negotiations. Continuous work to rule industrial action, where employees follow the minimum requirements of their contract will start on 22 May 2017, followed by an initial 24 hours strike on 26 May 2017. The union says that projects set to be affected by the dispute include work at Heathrow airport and the Mersey Gateway.
KHD wins order to upgrade Nuh Çimento ball mill
09 May 2017Turkey: KHD has been awarded the contract to upgrade Nuh Çimento’s existing ball mill grinding unit in Hereke-Kocaeli located in Marmara. With this upgrade, the plant will increase the grinding capacity from 212t/hr to 408t/hr at 4000cm3/g according to Blaine. This will be the largest upgrade project to date for KHD. Commissioning is scheduled for the start of 2018.
NUH Cimento’s plant contains one of the largest ball mills in the world with a diameter of 5.8m, a length of 17.84m and a 10.4MW drive unit. The mill has been used for around nine years at the site. For the upgrade, KHD will install two new identical Comflex grinding systems next to each other, which can be operated independently, in addition to the existing ball mill system. The new compact system will allow for a significant reduction in the installation height of the Complex system.
The contract includes: two Comflex SC16-3250 clinker grinding units; two roller press RPM 16-170/180 with Rolcox system for control and monitoring; two VS 620 type cascade separators as static classifiers; two Sepmaster SKS-VC 3250 type efficiency separators as dynamic classifiers; two HKSK 190/265 system fans; and a two years spare parts package including one spare roller.
Quebec state government plans to rebuild railway line offer boost to McInnis Cement distribution
09 May 2017Canada: Plans by the state government of Quebec to rebuild the Gaspésie railway between Matapédia and Gaspé will allow McInnis Cement to increase its distribution of cement by rail significantly. Once the line has been restored the cement producer says the number of wagons it uses could rise to 2000/yr from 300/yr.
”The flexibility of the railway combined with our maritime distribution mode allows us to improve our logistics chain and reach certain markets more efficiently, in all seasons,” said McInnis Cement chief executive officer Herve Mallet.
In December 2016 McInnis Cement confirmed its use of the rail for a volume of approximately 28,000t/yr over five years, through a transshipment facility in New Richmond, fed by truck from Port-Daniel–Gascons. Railway repairs are expected to result in the transport of at least 200,000t/yr of cement by rail.
China: China Tianrui Group Cement says that Yang Yongzheng, a non-executive director, and Yu Chun Liang, a joint company secretary, have been detained by the police in Jinan. The police are holding the pair on alleged violations of criminal law in relation to ‘other duties which are outside the business of the company’ that took place on 8 April 2017. The company added that the pair have not been held as guilty or tried at a court of law.
China Tianrui Group Cement says that the incident was not connected to the company or its subsidies and that the it is not related to the performance of either person. It added that the ‘incident’ was unlikely to effect the business and operations of the group.
In early April 2017 the Jinan properties of its Shandong Shanshui, a subsidiary of China Tianrui Group Cement, was occupied by a former manager of the company and his associates. In the resulting debacle, representatives of Shanshui Cement were held against their will for over two hours by a hostile crowd until local police helped them to escape.
UK: Tarmac has started using a small-scale liquid lime delivery vehicle to despatch Kalic and Kalic HS milk of lime consignments to smaller or harder-to-reach locations. The eight-wheeled vehicle can carry up to 18t of milk of lime and its shorter wheelbase makes it much more manoeuvrable than larger carriers. It also comes equipped with metering capabilities and adaptable nozzle to aid delivery. The vehicle will compliment Tarmac’s use of bulk tankers or 1t intermediate bulk containers (IBCs).
“Many of our smaller customers require small but regular deliveries of milk of lime as they often have limited storage available on site. Our new ‘milk round’ allows us to regularly deliver fresh top-ups in lower volume deliveries without customers being restricted to taking small deliveries in IBCs,’ said Tarmac Lime & Powders Logistics Manager Nick Thomas.
Boral completes acquisition of Headwaters
09 May 2017US: Boral has completed its acquisition of Headwaters, a leading building products manufacturer and fly ash marketer in North America. Boral USA and Headwaters will form a new division to be named Boral North America, which will be headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the location of Boral’s current US headquarters.
ACC and Ambuja Cement consider merger options
08 May 2017India: LafargeHolcim’s subsidiaries ACC and Ambuja Cement have started exploring the options for a merger. The cement producers have initiated a study to assess the benefits of the move. A special committee of directors, of which the majority are independent directors, has been constituted to commence the evaluation. The boards of both companies will make a decision once a recommendation is received from the special committee of directors and the Audit Committee.
Arabian Cement to spend US$7m on upgrades
08 May 2017Egypt: Arabian Cement has announced three upgrade projects with a budget of US$7m. The projects include the construction of a mechanical crane to feed the kiln of the first production line, a new system to feed the cement mills and a new coal mill, according to the Daily Egypt newspaper. The coal mill project was announced previously in mid-2016.
Switzerland: Eric Olsen, the chief executive officer of LafargeHolcim, has denied that his departure from the group is connected to payments to armed groups in Syria. Olsen announced his resignation following a review into a conduct of a cement plant in Syria, according to the Associated Press. However, he was found not responsible or even aware of the misconduct. Olsen told reporters at the publication of the group’s first quarter financial results that his decision to leave was not related to Syria but he did acknowledge ‘tensions’ at the company. LafargeHolcim hopes to have recruited a replacement for Olsen by the end of 2017.
India: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint against Penna Cement for alleged irregularities related to the allocation of land and the granting of a mining lease. The agency has also named the deceased YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, V Vijaysai Reddy, Penna Group chairman Putta Pratap Reddy and Pioneer Holdings in the case, according to the Hans India newspaper. The complaint accuses the former Andhra Pradesh state government, run by Reddy, of allocating 231 acres in Yadiki mandal of Anantapur district to Penna Cements for setting up a cement plant and officials for allowing the allocation in violation of land acquisition rules.
The ED’s complaint also says that the government at the time refused mining leases to UltraTech Cement, granted a prospecting lease to Penna Cement and was complicit in other irregularities. In return for these actions the ED alleges that Penna Group invested US$10.6m in companies owned by Reddy, in violation of money laundering regulations. Previously, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed charges against Penna Cement, Raghuram Cements and India Cements for favours they allegedly received from the Andhra Pradesh state government in 2008 and 2009.