07 April 2016
Vortex appoints Brolton as agent in Australia 07 April 2016
Australia: Vortex Global Limited, a European solids and bulk handling components company, has appointed Brolton Group as its exclusive agent in Australia. Brolton Group also serves as an agent to Coperion, Sturtevant and Whitwick.
"Brolton has extensive experience in the material handling and mineral processing industries," says Laurence Millington, Vortex Director of International Business. "Our slide gates and diverter valves are quite complementary to the other companies that Brolton represents.”
Brolton Group provides process automation and industrial engineering services, such as general, mechanical, civil and construction engineering, for heavy industry, fast-moving consumer goods and broader manufacturing. Brolton Group is also a systems integrators for brands such as Rockwell Automation, Pilz and Sick.
Yanbu Cement profit falls in first quarter of 2016 07 April 2016
Saudi Arabia: Yanbu Cement Company has reported an 11.1% year-on-year fall in its net profit to US$49m in the first quarter of 2016 from US$55m in the same period in 2015. The cement producer has blamed the profit loss on a fall in sales and a rise in fuel prices.
Pakistan cement despatches hit high in March 2016 07 April 2016
Pakistan: The Pakistan cement industry has recorded its highest ever dispatches of 3.58Mt in March 2016, an increase of 19% year-on-year from 3Mt in March 2015. Exports have grown by 21% to 0.53Mt from 0.44Mt in March 2016. The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) described the growth as ‘encouraging’ as it enabled the industry to hit a capacity utilisation rate of 95%. However, despite this high rate the APCMA added that it was still being accused of price fixing, according to local press.
For the nine months from July 2015 to March 2016 overall cement despatches rose by 9.95% year-on-year to 28.3Mt. Local despatches in the north and south of the country have both shown growth respectively. However, exports fell by 19% to 4.41Mt from 5.44Mt. The year so far has been poor for exports, only picking up growth from February 2016 onwards.
China: Yang Luyu, the mayor of Jinan in Shangdong province, is being investigated for corruption by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). Yang has been accused of ‘serious disciplinary violations’ according to Xinhua news agency. He is also the city's Communist Party deputy secretary.
Yang was named in a writ filed with a Hong Kong court in March 2016 according to the South China Morning Post. Two companies, China Pioneer Cement (Hong Kong) and Shandong Shanshui Cement Group, allege that Yang and his deputy mayor, Su Shuwei, conspired with former company directors to take control of the Jinan plant on 7 December 2016. The ex-directors were named as Zhang Caikui and his son Zhang Bin.
China Pioneer Cement (Hong Kong) and Shandong Shanshui Cement Group are subsidiaries of China Shanshui Cement Group. Shanshui Cement has faced financial troubles since a battle for control of the company that took place in late 2015 between Tianrui Cement, its biggest shareholder, and the Zhang family, its second-largest shareholder and former owners.