28 June 2017
Metso signs distribution agreement with Process Control Equipment to cover UK, Benelux and Spain 28 June 2017
Finland: Metso has signed a distribution agreement for its valve products with Process Control Equipment (PCE) to cover the UK, Benelux and Spain. Under the non-exclusive agreement, PCE will add to its current portfolio of Metso's Neles and Jamesbury product families for all process industries in all countries. PCE has been distributing Metso's Jamesbury valves in the UK since 2012.
"The new agreement brings benefits for Metso's customers in UK, Benelux and Spain to ensure better availability and service support for them. The expansion of distributors in these countries will bring additional value, including more local support, local inventories, and faster deliveries of our products," said Kyle Rayhill, Director of Global Distribution, Flow Control, Metso.
Cyprus: The Statistical Service of Cyprus has stopped reporting data on the cement industry following a request by a local cement producer. It has announced that to safeguard ‘statistical confidentiality’ it will no longer disseminate monthly data for the production, sales and exports of cement and clinker. The department of the Republic of Cyprus apologised to the users of the data stating that it is obliged, under the provisions of the Statistics Law of 2000, to respect the request.
The island’s main cement producer is Vassiliko Cement, which operates an integrated plant in the southern Republic of Cyprus. Italy’s Italacementi owned a minority stake in the company before its takeover by HeidelbergCement. LafargeHolcim’s subsidiary Boğaz Endüstri ve Madencilik runs a cement grinding plant in the so-called northern Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
New Zealand: Holcim New Zealand has reported a loss of US$8.9m in 2016 as it changed its business from production to importation and distribution. The subsidiary of LafargeHolcim made a profit of US$58m in 2015, according to the Business Desk news agency. Its distribution costs also rose to US$54m from US$45m. A company spokesperson attributed the rising distribution costs to a transition away from manufacturing.
The company’s results in 2016 benefited from its sale of its lime business to Canada’s Graymont. It also closed its Westport cement plant and invested in import terminals. It operates terminals in Auckland and Timaru and depots in Dunedin, Lyttelton, Nelson, Wellington and Napier.