26 November 2014
Cherat Cement plans to build new line 26 November 2014
Pakistan: Cherat Cement has reportedly decided to install a new 1.3Mt/yr capacity production line, according to local media.
Abid A Vazir, executive director of Cherat Cement, said that the expansion is being undertaken to meet expected increases in domestic demand. The increase is expected to be fuelled by government spending on major infrastructure projects, with a special focus on the construction of highways and hydropower as well as housing projects. Expected improvements in the political situation in neighbouring Afghanistan, Pakistan's largest export market, may also give a boost to reconstruction activities.
Tianjin Cement Industry Design and Research Institute has reportedly been contracted to build the plant. Cherat Cement currently operates a 1.1Mt/yr capacity cement plant near Nowshera, in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan.
India: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has closed a case of alleged cartel activity among 11 cement companies due to a lack of evidence. The companies were named as Penna Cements, India Cements, Bharathi Cements, Dalmia (Bharat) Cements, Bhavya Cements, Zuari Cements, Ultratech Cements, Jaypee Cements, Ramco Cements, KCP Cements and My Home Cements.
JCB inaugurates two new plants in India 26 November 2014
India: JCB India has inaugurated two plants in Jaipur facility costing US$80m. The 115 acre site consists of a fabrication and a manufacturing plant. Once fully operational it will employ around 1000 people.
"We decided on this majestic state because it holds strategic importance for future growth under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial corridor, of which a considerable part passes through the state," said Joesph Bamford, group chairman of JCB. JCB has invested nearly US$400m in India since its entry in 1979 with the Ballabgarh facility in Haryana. The fully-owned subsidiary of JCB also runs two factories in Pune.
Kerneos aims to commission new specialty cement plant by end of 2016 26 November 2014
India: Kerneos Aluminate Technologies, a leader in specialty cements, hopes to commission a proposed US$19m plant in India by December 2016. The company has finalised plans to set up a greenfield unit near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
"We chose Visakhapatnam as the site for our own factory since it is ideally placed close to our customers in the eastern region. Being a port-based site, it offers the advantage of raw materials imports while serving as a base for exports in the near future," said president and CEO of Kerneos Jean-Marc Bianchi. The new plant will produce calcium alumina cement. It will have an initial capacity of 30,000t/yr. Kerneos plans to add a similar capacity at a later stage depending on the rate of product uptake in India. The Visakhapatnam unit will be Kerneos' seventh manufacturing facility worldwide.
Lafarge considers research centre for Nigeria 26 November 2014
Nigeria: Lafarge is considering opening its sixth research centre in Nigeria. It will be the sixth development laboratory in the network following those in France, China, India, Algeria and Brazil. Lafarge's prospective research and development director, Gilles Rochard, made the announcement on a press tour in France.
FLSmidth confirms Bolivian cement plant order 26 November 2014
Bolivia: FLSmidth has confirmed that it has signed a contract with Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento (SOBOCE) for supplies of equipment and machinery for a cement plant in Bolivia. Full information regarding the order will be released once the contract is considered binding, following exchange of down payment and guarantees. Local media has reported that the US$180m Yacuses, Puerto Suarez cement plant will have a cement production capacity of 0.8Mt/yr.
Siam Cement Group surveys Laos for cement plant 26 November 2014
Laos: Siam Cement Group (SCG) is carrying out a survey of available raw materials and possible locations with a view to setting up one of the largest cement factories in Laos. Vanthong Sitthikoun, president of the Lao Cement Producers' Association, said that the Laotian government had authorised SCG to conduct a survey in Boualapha district, Khammuan province, where the company proposes construction of the plant.
"There are now two surveys under way in Khammuan province for the construction of cement factories, by Thai and Chinese investors. When they have finished, they will submit their findings to the government before building the factories," said Vanthong.
SCG intends to build a plant in Laos to tap its growing demand for cement especially for dam construction. Laos currently has 10 operational cement factories, with a total production capacity of about 3.84Mt/yr according to local media. Two of the factories are in Vientiane, three are in Vientiane province, and there is one in each of the provinces of Luang Prabang, Xieng Khuang, Khammuan, Savannakhet and Saravan.
FLSmidth to supply new production line for Cemex Odessa plant 26 November 2014
Denmark/US: FLSmidth has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Cemex for the supply of a new cement production line at its Odessa cement plant in Texas, US. Once the installation is finished, the cement production line is expected to have a capacity of approximately 2540t/day.
The expansion will focus on higher fuel efficiency and improved productivity. The equipment scope includes a five-stage ILC preheater with a Low NOx Calciner, three-pier kiln, FLSmidth Cross-Bar cooler, Duoflex burner, Pfister weighing and dosing systems, gas analysers and three Fuller-Kinyon pumps. The line will also use an FLSmidth control system.