Displaying items by tag: GCW308
Ssangyong Cement buys Daehan Cement
26 June 2017South Korea: Ssangyong Cement has purchased a 100% stake in Daehan Cement for US$232.8m. Ssangyong Cement has signed an agreement with Hahn & Company to buy the stake from the private equity firm, according to the Maeil Business Newspaper. Daehan Cement is the country’s largest slag cement producer. Ssangyong Cement’s purchase is expected to preserve the cement producer’s market lead against Hanil Cement which bought Hyundai Cement earlier in 2017.
India: The Tamil Nadu state Industries Minister M C Sampath says that the Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation (Tancem) upgrade project is 60% complete at its Ariyalur cement plant. The US$116m upgrade at the government-owned plant is being undertaken by Larsen & Toubro with FLSmidth, according to the Press Trust of India. US$24m has been spent on the project so far. Construction is expected to be completed in 2018 and the upgrade will increase the plant’s production capacity to 1.5Mt/yr from 0.5Mt/yr.
Gharibwal Cement starts waste heat recovery unit
26 June 2017Pakistan: Gharibwal Cement has started commercial operation of a 20MW waste heat recovery unit at its Jehuml plant in Punjab. According to its website it will generate 12MW from the waste hot gases of the cement production process and 8MW from a coal-fired system. The plant has a clinker production capacity of 6700t/day.
US: Two CalPortland cement plants have earned the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star certification for 2017. The Rillito plant in Arizona has achieved certification for the sixth time and the Oro Grande plant in California has earned its first certification since recently being acquired by CalPortland in 2015.
“CalPortland is proud to accept EPA’s Energy Star certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said Allen Hamblen, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of CalPortland. “CalPortland takes great pride in our partnership with Energy Star which is proven through the dedication of our employees who are proud to participate in programs that improve our energy efficiency, reduce emissions and contribute to protecting our environment.”
Philippines: Republic Cement has released more information about its US$300m investment programme to increase its production capacity. The joint venture from Ireland’s CRH and Aboitiz Equity Ventures plans to increase the capacity of its plants at Luzon and Mindanao by 2019 in the first phase of the project, according to the Manila Bulletin newspaper. This will then be followed by a second phase that will build new clinker production lines.
Little additional detail was released but the cement producer intends to install several grinding mills to increase its cement production capacity by 3Mt/yr. In addition it will install improved process technology to increase clinker output from all of its plants in Luzon that it says will be equivalent in capacity terms to a new kiln line investment.
Ethiopia: Dangote Cement has threatened to stop its operations at its Mugher cement plant in Oromia if the local government doesn’t cancel an order forcing the cement producer to give control of some of its business to local young people. Oromia state's East Shewa Zone administration has asked the Nigerian cement company to allow cooperatives of unemployed young adults to run part of its mining businesses or face ‘any problems’ that may arise, according to the Star newspaper. The state scheme is intended to reduce youth unemployment and to relax local social tensions following riots in 2016. Dangote Cement was one of several businesses that were attacked in the unrest.
However, Dangote Cement’s executive director Edwin Devakumar warned that any ‘mismanagement’ of its mining business could undermine its entire business. The cement producer intends to write to the federal government to ask for intervention otherwise it will consider shutting its Mugher plant as a last resort.
Central Pollution Control Board orders three cement plants to cease operation in Telangana
23 June 2017India: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has ordered three cement plants to stop operation and issued show-cause notices to 11 other units in Telangana. Kakatiya Cements in Nalgonda, Mancherial Cements in Mancherial and the government owned Cement Corporation of India at Tandur have been issued with closure notices, according to the new Indian Express newspaper. Around 240 cement factories across the country have been sent either closure or show-cause notices.
The campaign follows an initiative asking selected industries to install online pollution monitoring systems which are to be connected to the CPCB as well as State Pollution Control Board servers to ensure real-time monitoring of pollution emission of industries. Cement plants have also been sent show-cause notices for failing to meet new emissions standards set by the CPCB.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Fons Technology International (FTI) has replaced the existing clinker cooler of Fabrika Cementa Lukavac’s (FCL) cement plant in Tuzla. The new cooler has a capacity of 2100t/day. After commissioning by FTI the cooler has achieved the targeted process figures with a smooth mechanical operation. As part of the project FTI reused the existing cooler casing, existing refractory, four of the existing fans and the existing hammer crusher.
Poland: Belgium’s Lhoist has ordered a FCB TSV Classifier 1400 HF from Fives to increase the production of a limestone grinding plant. The unit already operates two FCB TSV Classifiers following upgrades in 1999 and 2016. The classifier will close a circuit, which consisted in a ball mill in open circuit. The installation of this equipment is intended to increase both the grinding line capacity and the finished products quality.
State government to reopen Bheema Cements
22 June 2017India: The state government of Telangana plans to help reopen the 0.9Mt/yr Bheema Cements plant at Bhavya. Following the recommendations of a committee the government intends to revive the plant subject to certain conditions and payments, according to the Press Trust of India. The plant was closed due to financial losses in 2014. Mining leases allocated to the plant have also expired.