06 November 2014
Haver & Boecker launches Roto-Packer Adams Mini system, G600 palletising series and Feige PalletFill Type 16 06 November 2014
Germany: Haver & Boecker has recently launched its new Roto-Packer Adams Mini packing system, the new G600 palletiser series and the Feige PalletFill Type 16.
The Roto-Packer, based on Adams technology, fills powder-type bulk materials into compact polyethylene bags at speeds of up to 600bags/hr and over a steplessly adjustable weight range of 1 – 10kg. Haver Innovation Management are working to increase the packing speed to 1200bags/hr.
The new G600 palletiser series from Newtec Bag Palletizing, a Haver & Boecker subsidiary, has also been launched. To increase capacity, the G600 series palletisers work using two lifts to convey the bags. Control of the palletisers is done via a human-machine-interface, which allows the user to operate the machine. The operator can perform a product changeover or switch to a maintenance mode with only a few adjustments. A VPN connection for remote maintenance ensures ongoing support by specialists of Newtec Bag Palletizing and allows a reduction in maintenance time.
'Plug & Fill' and 'ATEX compliance' are the key functions of the Feige PalletFill Type 16, a swivel-type pallet filling station. Feige, a Haver and Boecker company launched the product. The pallet-filling station is used for the automatic and calibrated filling of drums and pails on pallets. The mobile design allows filling directly at the tank without first having to pump the product from the tank system to a fixed filling system. 255 dosing-parameter settings for a variety of products can be entered. The control and operating systems are placed directly at the filling station.
PPC board reveals alleged resignation 'reasons' 06 November 2014
South Africa: The board of PCC has accused former CEO Ketso Gordhan of defamation and published the circumstances behind his resignation, according to local media.
Initially the board of PPC stated that Gordhan had resigned due to 'a difference of opinion' regarding board procedures. However, Gordhan later said that he had lost confidence in the board for not dismissing an executive who was 'undermining company strategy.' PPC had only two executives at the time, Gordhan and CFO Tryphosa Ramano.
PPC said the reasons Gordhan had given for wanting to fire CFO Ramano included that she 'had a bigger office than him' and had requested a reserved parking spot. Ramano had also refused to participate in a voluntary salary sacrifice scheme aimed at raising the wages of lower-level workers and was 'interrogating a loan agreement' which Gordhan had verbally agreed to with a potential funder. The board said that Ramano had ill-treated an employee whom Gordhan had employed.
The board was of the view that the reasons advanced by Gordhan were not substantive and did not warrant the termination of the CFO. Additionally, PPC said that Gordhan had resigned twice in his 20-month stint as CEO.
According to Gordhan PPC's statement is, "Making a complete mockery of the substantial reasons I presented to the board and shows the board's inability to actually deal with the relevant matters impacting the business and shareholder value."
Italcementi offices visited in insider trading probe 06 November 2014
Italy: Officers from Italy's market regulator Consob and the tax police visited the headquarters of Italcementi on 5 November 2014 as part of an investigation into alleged insider trading, sources close to the matter said, according to Reuters.
According to local media, the inspections, which were also carried out at the offices of Italcementi's main shareholder Italmobiliare, concerned a series of measures taken by the Italcementi group in March 2013 in a bid it made for its French unit Ciments Francais.
A spokesman for Italcementi said that the group hoped that the Consob inspections would not reveal deliberate intention to do wrong. "In the opposite case, the group's management will take firm initiatives to safeguard the interests of the company, which would be the injured party."
Terra Cement partners with Ore Mines International 06 November 2014
Australia: Terra Cement, a sustainable cement technology company, has signed a joint venture agreement with Ore Mines International (OMI) in South Australia to form a new company, called Terra Cement Australia (TCA). TCA will engage in the marketing of Terra's proprietary process (patent pending) for producing sustainable cement using ash in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
"As collaborators with a global reach and local market knowledge, industry leaders such as OMI play a significant role driving innovation to market," said Henry Val, CEO at Terra. "OMI's expertise enables rapid commercialisation by freeing us to focus on the development of our core technology. Likewise, our technology gives OMI access to a large, new market that would not exist without Terra."
TCA will convert existing cement plants and mixing facilities to produce hydrogel made from fly ash in Australia. When organic proprietary liquids are added, sustainable cement is produced, which is stronger, more durable and cures faster than Ordinary Portland Cement. No thermal energy is used and no carbon dioxide emissions are produced during the manufacturing process.
OMI has conducted preliminary testing of the ash available in Australia and has determined it to be suitable for the production of its cement. OMI has ordered the design for the conversion process for its existing facilities and will complete the process in the near future. TCA, as a joint venture, will begin its operations by the end of 2014.
Colombia: Wärtsilä, a supplier of power plant and ship power solutions and services, has renewed its asset management agreement with Cemex Colombia. The agreement was signed during summer 2014 and it is valid for five years. It is a continuation of an earlier asset management agreement that was signed in 1998.
With this new agreement, Wärtsilä continues to operate and maintain the power plant at Cemex Colombia's cement plant. The agreement covers day-to-day operation of the power plant and the natural gas station (city gate), preventive and predictive maintenance services, management of parts logistics and technical support services. This agreement is a long-term operational partnership with a common goal to ensure maximised lifetime, guaranteed performance and predictable life cycle costs for the power plant.
"We have worked with Wärtsilä for 15 years," said Jairo Guerrero, energy director from Cemex Colombia. "During these years, Wärtsilä has showed excellent performance in ensuring the reliability and availability of our cement factory in Ibagué. Wärtsilä has also introduced innovative upgrades that will further improve the performance and reliability of our power plant. We are happy to continue our long-term partnership with them."
Cemex Colombia's cement plant is powered by five Wärtsilä 34SG engines, with a total capacity of 25MW. The plant is located near Ibagué, a municipality in the Department of Tolima.