Displaying items by tag: US
US: Holcim Participations, part of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim, has completed its acquisition of Firestone Building Products from Bridgestone. The group said that the acquisition marks a milestone in its transformation into a global innovative and sustainable building materials and solutions leader. It group said that the early conclusion of the deal came about due to ‘smooth collaboration’ with Bridgestone.
Chief executive officer Jan Jenisch welcomed Firestone Building Products’ 1900 employees to the group, saying “Together, we will lead this iconic company’s next era of growth to become the global leader in flat roofing systems. As we expand its leadership in the US to Europe and Latin America, I want the world to know that Nobody Covers You Better than Firestone.” He added, “I am excited about the strong growth prospects, accelerated by the many opportunities from President Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ plan. With its leading roofing systems, Firestone Building Products makes us a partner of choice from rooftop to foundation. This truly is a milestone for LafargeHolcim as we become the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions.”
Indonesia: Semen Indonesia has detailed its plans for future exports of cement to North America. The Investor Daily newspaper has reported that the producer and subsidiary Solusi Bangun Indonesia will target 0.5 – 1Mt of cement exports to North America in 2021, according to president director Hendi Santoso. The export plans will be carried out in partnership with Japan-based Taiheiyo Cement, which already has a US market presence and owns a 15% stake in Solusi Bangun Indonesia. Hendi said that the move aims to ‘cushion’ the decline in domestic cement sales, down by 28% bulk and 13% bagged year-on-year in 2020. The company successfully exported cement to Australia, Bangladesh, China, Fiji and Sri Lanka in 2020.
President commissioner Rudi Antara said, "The Covid-19 outbreak still colours our lives. There is no other choice but to increase business efficiency and the top line outside of our main markets."
California Nevada Cement Association releases plan for Californian cement industry carbon neutrality by 2045
31 March 2021US: The California Nevada Cement Association (CNCA) has published a plan for the Californian cement industry to meet its target of carbon neutrality by 2045. The plan consists of three pathways, namely: a reduction in process emissions including by alterations to clinker factor and type of additives; an increase in alternative fuel (AF) substitution; and a switch to renewable energy. The association said that the aims are achievable by close stakeholder coordination, constructive public policy engagement and a situational approach based on a flexible portfolio of pathways.
US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has published a March 2021 Economic Update. The update calls attention to the danger that insufficient aid to state and local governments presents to construction. The American Rescue Plan Act 2021 affords US$350bn to these bodies, which consume roughly half of the cement produced in the US.
Senior regional economist Brian Schmidt said that state and local government coffers are running low due to reduced tax revenues because of the Covid-19 outbreak, especially in areas reliant on oil and tourism. Schmidt concluded that the total US$1.9tn stimulus package is likely sufficiently replenish state funds to maintain cement demand. He added that this will depend on significantly reduced Covid-19 case counts by the third quarter of 2021 in line with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s baseline forecast.
Coherent Market Insights forecasts 55% global grinding aids market growth between 2019 and 2027
25 March 2021US: Coherent Market Insights (CMI) has forecast in a recent market report that the global cement grinding aids market will grow by 55% to US$5.02bn in 2027 from US$3.23bn in 2019. Factors driving market growth include increased cement industry concerns about energy consumption reduction and product fineness. A major driver is the Asia Pacific market, which accounted for 34% of value in 2019. In North America, US residential construction is forecast to continue its five-year increase. CMI predicted that projects in Saudi Arabia will also drive Middle Eastern market growth. It added that the Covid-19 outbreak has caused a drastic short-term decrease in demand.
Portland Cement Association supports Mine Safety and Health Administration’s Covid-19 guidance
24 March 2021US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has welcomed expanded, comprehensive Covid-19 safety guidance from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The association said that the guidance is a valuable and flexible resource for cement facilities facing the shifting effects of the Covid-19 threat. Plants have successfully relied on the advice of the MSHA, Centers for Disease Control and Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
PCA government affairs senior vice president Sean O’Neill said, “Protecting our workforce during the Covid-19 emergency has been job number one for US cement manufacturers. The men and women of the cement industry, from our quarries to our cement plants and shipping operations, are designated as Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers. PCA and its member companies are committed to protecting miners and their families while continuing to provide critical building materials needed to maintain and improve our nation’s vital infrastructure.”
ScrapeTec launches PrimeTracker belt tracker
24 March 2021US: ScrapeTec has announced the launch of PrimeTracker, a belt tracker designed to tackle misalignment. The supplier says that the tracker differs from other products of its kind in using free rotation, thereby avoiding abrasion and damage from sliding over the belt surface. The tracker is able to swing and tilt while remaining in full contact with the belt.
Sales and distribution head Thorsten Koth said, “For optimum performance of a conveyor system, it is critical that the belt always runs straight on the conveyor, without sideways movement. Our new PrimeTracker belt tracker has been designed to automatically guide a conveyor belt back into the correct straight-line position, to prevent costly downtime and component replacement.” He added, “An advantage of the ScrapeTec PrimeTracker is that it is operates in the idling position at all times, unless there is sideways movement of the belt. This system corrects misalignment immediately, by guiding the belt back into the correct position, with no damage or abrasion to the belt or tracker.”
Greece: Titan Cement’s consolidated earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 7% year-on-year to Euro286m from Euro267m in 2019. Sales remained level year-on-year at Euro1.61bn and net profit after taxes and minorities (NPAT) fell by 97% to Euro1.50m from Euro50.9m. The group attributed the profit slump to one-off charges, namely the full write-off of the Euro46.6m goodwill of subsidiary Titan Cement Egypt and the derecognition of Euro17.3m of accumulated deferred Egyptian tax assets. If not for these, the group says its consolidated NPAT would have increased by 28% to Euro65.4m.
Cement sales were 17.1Mt, up by 1% from 17.0Mt. The group called the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak ‘less severe than expected.’ Ready-mixed concrete sales rose by 3% to 5.4Mm3 from 5.2Mm3.
Construction activity continued under coronavirus lockdown in most of the group’s countries of operation. As a result, sales remained resilient across all markets. US sales fell by 2% to Euro938m from Euro952m due to negative currency exchange effects. Greece and Western Europe sales rose by 1% to Euro247m from Euro245m. Southeastern Europe sales rose by 3% to Euro938m from Euro952m and Eastern Mediterranean sales rose by 1% to Euro152m from Euro150m.
Group executive committee chair Dimitri Papalexopoulos said “In 2020, we delivered strong financial performance while taking care of our employees and those around us, ensuring high-quality, uninterrupted customer service and accelerating progress towards our digital and sustainability aspirations. In the face of uncertainty caused by Covid-19, we remained confident in our business model. We adapted to shifting market conditions and continued to pursue operational excellence while laying the groundwork to capture future growth.” The group anticipates a positive market trend in all regions in 2021.
US: R-Tec Creations has launched New World Concrete, a single-stone Portland pozzolan concrete. R-Tec creations classifies the product as super ultra high performance concrete (SUHPC) for its compressive strength. It developed the concrete for use in construction in hurricane and earthquake-affected areas.
Lehigh Hanson and Fortera to install carbon capture and storage system at Redding cement plant in California
12 March 2021US: Lehigh Hanson has signed a collaboration agreement with materials technology company Fortera. Under the agreement, the companies will establish a carbon capture and storage (CCS) system at the producer’s 0.8Mt/yr integrated Redding Cement plant in Shasta district, California. The system will produce a cementitious material for use in concrete production. The material will be the first of its kind to be produced at a cement plant.
"This collaboration with Lehigh Hanson will prove the commercial scalability, the quality of the final product, and the competitive economics of the Fortera process," said Ryan Gilliam, chief executive officer and co-founder of Fortera. He added that the Fortera process (ReCarb) has been designed to utilise the existing cement infrastructure, from the quarry to the kiln, but with less CO2 emissions, lower energy, and lower processing temperatures, leading to 60% lower CO2 emissions per tonne of product.