13 January 2017
Schenck Process launches vibration sensing smartphone app 13 January 2017
Germany: Schenck Process has launched a smartphone application (or app) that can measure the performance of vibrating machines. A smartphone running the ‘vibe2know’ app can be inserted into a proprietary mount and attached to the equipment being monitored. The app then immediately measures vibratory amplitude, frequency, oscillating angle and operating speed, and enables the user to visualise the vibrating machine’s motion pattern.
The idea for the app came from a Schenck Process employee in the company’s in-house Research & Development department, which was taken up and implemented by the future lab. Schenck employees around the world were then asked to suggest their ideas for the brand name.
“I am thrilled with vibe2know, it is a good example of how our established development team and future lab complement one another within our company. Our speed in achieving this project and getting a product to market is exactly why we set up our future lab. This sets a great precedent for future projects,” said Andreas Evertz, president and chief executive officer of Schenck Process.
Moroccan cement consumption falls slightly in 2016 13 January 2017
Morocco: Cement consumption has fallen by year-on-year 0.7% to 14.1Mt in 2016 from 14.3Mt in 2015. Data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Policy shows that particular falls in consumption of nearly 10% were recorded in the Béni Mellal – Khénifra and Drâa – Tafilalet regions. However, the country’s Dakhla - Oued Ed-Dahab region in the south-west reported a 64.3% rise in sales to 63,771t.
Qatar: Qatar Primary Materials Company (QPMC) plans to inaugurate its new cement silo project in the first quarter of 2017. The project is located at the Port of Mesaieed and includes two cranes, two conveyor belts, 12 silos each with a storage capacity of 5000t and a total of 60,000t, according to the Gulf Times newspaper. The silos will have a discharge rate of 250t/hr with a total of 1000t/hr. QPMC’s chief executive Eisa al-Hammadi said that the silos were to ensure a ‘sustainable’ supply of cement in the country. The site is intended to store and discharge over 2Mt/yr of cement.
QPMC completed its Bulk Materials Handling System in late 2016, a 4.8km conveyor belt system connecting the Port of Mesaieed to storage areas. The conveyor operates at a speed of 3m/s allowing material to be transported to the destination in under 30 minutes. The building materials distributor says that the conveyor is the first in the Middle East and one of the longest in the world.
Steppe Cement revenue falls by 8% to US$54m in 2016 13 January 2017
Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement’s revenue has fallen by 8% year-on-year to US$54m in 2016 from US$59m in the same period in 2015. Sales volumes of cement fell by 4% to 1.57Mt from 1.64Mt. The drop in revenue and sales volumes was blamed on increased competition and the start-up of two cement kilns in the country.
The cement producer reported that the country’s cement consumption fell by 8% to 8.9Mt in 2016. It imported 0.5Mt and exported 0.4Mt, with imports falling and exports rising respectively. The cement producer said that its market share was 17% in 2016. It will publish its full financial results for the year in April 2017.