Displaying items by tag: US
US: Summit Materials' nine-month consolidated sales were US$1.68bn in the first nine months of 2021, up by 7.7% year-on-year from US$1.56bn in the corresponding period of 2020. The group's net income rose by 4.8% to US$110m from US$105m. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 31% to US$416m from US$319m.
The company's consolidated cement sales for the period were US$208m, up by 10% from US$189m. Its sales volumes rose by 6.5% to 1.8Mt from 1.69Mt.
Portland Cement Association welcomes US House of Representatives' US$1.2Tn infrastructure act
10 November 2021US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has expressed its support of the House of Representatives' new Infrastructure and Jobs Act, consisting of a US$1.2Tn infrastructure spending plan. The plan includes US$550bn in new federal investments before 2027. US$16bn is set aside for 'major projects' requiring special funding arrangements. The legislative body voted in favour of the bill on 7 November 2021. The act awaits the signature of US President Joe Biden. Biden previously unveiled a proposed US$2.25Tn infrastructure package in March 2021.
PCA president and chief executive officer Michael Ireland said "The PCA applauds the US House of Representatives for finally passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bipartisan infrastructure bill not only addresses years of underinvestment in the nation’s infrastructure but will spur economic growth and job creation in communities across the country, improving the quality of life and our nation’s global competitiveness. As many are still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, this legislation will further our nation’s recovery, creating thousands of well-paying jobs."
He continued "PCA members across the country appreciate the legislation passing a long-term reauthorisation of the surface transportation programme, including significant investments in our water infrastructure, providing funding for the department of energy to focus on the research, developmentand deployment of technologies for manufacturers to capture carbon emissions, and the exemption of cement from Buy America requirements. We are eager for President Biden to sign this legislation into law and start building a better future for America.”
Mississippi Lime to put up prices in 2022
10 November 2021US: Mississippi Lime Company says it will increase its prices for its quicklime, hydrated lime, specialty, and calcium carbonate products by up to 15%, subject to contractual obligations, in January 2022. It has blamed this on “significant cost pressures and unprecedented supply chain challenges” caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent economic recovery. Energy, labour, freight and material costs have all been reported as rising.
Australia: James Hardie recorded consolidated sales of US$1.75bn in the first half of its 2022 financial year, up by 28% year-on-year from US$1.36bn in the first half of the 2021 financial year. Its earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) more than doubled to US$398m from US$197m. Fibre cement board sales increased by 17% in North America to 463Mm2 from 395Mm2 and more than doubled to 96.5Mm2 from 47.3Mm2 in Asia Pacific.
During the 2022, 2023 and 2024 financial years, the group plans to complete expansions of its Prattville, Alabama, cement board plant in the US and a European cement board plant, and to establish a new cement board plant in Victoria, Australia. It also aims to purchase land in the US for a future new cement board plant there.
CEO Jack Truong said "Our mission is to be a high-performance global company that delivers organic growth above market with strong returns, consistently. Ten consecutive quarters of growth above market with strong returns has led to an acceleration in operating cash flow, which is allowing us to expand our global manufacturing capacity, accelerate our growth initiatives, return to ordinary dividends, reduce our debt position, and increase the cash contributions to the Asbestos Injuries Compensation Fund (AICF)."
Buzzi Unicem increases nine-month sales and cement volumes in 2021
08 November 2021Italy: Buzzi Unicem’s consolidated sales rose by 5.6% year-on-year to US$2.54bn in the first nine months of 2021 from US$2.41bn in the first nine months of 2020. It recorded consolidated cement sales of 23.4Mt, up by 7.5% from 21.7Mt in the corresponding period of 2020. Sales growth in Eastern Europe - especially the Czech Republic and Poland - and the US offset a partial slowdown in Italy, particularly in the third quarter of the year.
The group expects global construction activity to generally remain level into the fourth quarter of 2021. It forecast “favourable” volume and price effects in its full-year results for 2021. It nonetheless noted “growing concern” at rising energy, fuels, logistics, raw materials and services costs in various regions. It forecast group recurring earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) not in excess of 2020 levels.
Charah Solutions wins ash and boiler slag handling contract with Associated Electric Cooperative
04 November 2021US: Charah Solutions has signed a contract with Associated Electric Cooperative (AECI) to receive bottom ash, fly ash and boiler slag from its Thomas Hill Energy Center coal-fired power plant in Missouri until 2026. Charah Solutions will recycle the by-products to produce supplementary cementitious products and redistribute these through its MultiSource materials network. The network consists of 40 locations across the US.
President and CEO Scott Sewell said "We are delighted to partner with AECI to manage their ash marketing needs at Thomas Hill while supplying our concrete producers with the high-quality material they need."
US Environment Protection Agency awards Energy Star to Cemex USA's Miami cement plant
03 November 2021US: The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Cemex USA's Miami cement plant its 11th consecutive Energy Star or its on-going energy efficiency and sustainability efforts.
President Jaime Muguiro said "Sustainability and conservation are ingrained in our operations and our business, so we constantly seek opportunities to decrease our energy use and reduce environmental impacts." He added "Our team at our Miami cement plant is helping to set the standard for our industry, demonstrating what can be possible, and we are proud of their ongoing environmental performance and commitment."
LafargeHolcim US reveals more detail on carbon capture study at Ste. Genevieve cement plant
03 November 2021US: LafargeHolcim US has revealed more information about a commercial-scale carbon-capture study based at its integrated Ste. Genevieve cement plant in Missouri. The project aims to deliver a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for a carbon capture retrofit that can separate up to 95% of CO2 emissions at the plant. The captured CO2 will be ‘pipeline ready’ for geological storage and analysis of the project socio-economic impact will also be part of the study. The US Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory awarded US$4m to the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois to work on the project in early October 2021. LafargeHolcim and Air Liquide are also making cost share contributions.
The design will use Air Liquide’s Crycocap FG system at the cement plant. LafargeHolcim US says that it combines pressure swing adsorption capabilities with cryogenic refrigeration technologies to achieve high CO2 capture rates with high CO2 purity rates. Notably, for a carbon capture project, the Ste. Genevieve plant has one of the largest single clinker kilns in the world.
Bruks Siwertell receives orders for two road-mobile ship unloaders in North America
03 November 2021US: Bruks Siwertell has received an order for two 5000 S type road-mobile ship unloaders for cement handling in North America. The first unit will be delivered to the US midwest in the summer of 2022 with commissioning scheduled for the winter of 2022. The second unit, for the southeast region, will be delivered in the summer of 2022 with commissioning by the spring of 2023. Both unloaders will have a rated cement handling capacity of 300t/hr for vessels up to 5000 dwt. Other features include technology for diagnostics and trouble-shooting. The customer for the order has not been disclosed.
US: Eagle Materials’ consolidated sales were US$985m in the first half of the 2022 financial year, up by 13% year-on-year from US$875m in the first half of the 2021 financial year. Its gross profit rose by 25% to US$282m from US$225m. The group recorded cement sales of US$496m, up by 4.4% from US$475m in 2020.