Russia: SibCem subsidiary Angarskcement has replaced air ducts with local air blowers in its raw materials and clinker grinding units. The producer made the modification to the units’ three horizontal slurry tanks.

Managing director Dmitry Kireev said, “The programme to reduce the consumption of compressed air in the slurry section of the raw materials and clinker grinding facility will continue.” He added, “It is important for us to reduce the costs of energy resources consumed by slurry basins, since they directly affect the cost of the products manufactured by the plant.”

Spain: The Málaga government has approved adjustments to HeidelbergCement subsidiary FYM’s special plan for its La Araña cement plant. The La Opinión de Málaga newspaper has reported that the plan incorporates the findings of new environmental and landscape studies enabling an enlargement of the area of operations. The approval’s effect will depend on the outcome of an on-going court case by a local interest group against the plan.

Germany: ThyssenKrupp has launched an initiative to supply coronavirus testing kits for employees to self-test with. The supplier said that initiative supports the German federal government’s national testing strategy.

Chief human resources officer Oliver Burkhard said, “The health of our employees is our top priority. We want to offer our workforce the best possible protection – quickly, pragmatically and unbureaucratically. The free self-tests are an important part of our strategy for containing the coronavirus pandemic. The expansion of our company’s testing capacities shows that we are taking our social responsibility very seriously and doing everything we can to help.”

Hungary: Lafarge Hungary, part of LafargeHolcim, has awarded a contract to Germany-based Loesche subsidiary A TEC for the supply of an alternative fuel (AF) flash dryer for the 1.0Mt/yr kiln line at its Királyegyháza cement plant in Baranya county. The supplier says that the dryer will use residual hot gas from the chlorine bypass system in conjunction with a satellite burner for firing the material in the kiln. The project also includes the installation of a new AF receiving, handling, and dosing system for a second AF flow firing directly into the kiln burner. A TEC says that it will commission the project in the second quarter of 2021 after the end of the plant’s 2020/2021 winter shutdown.

Mexico: Cemex has presented a comprehensive analysis of it strategic vision, operational performance, corporate governance and value creation in 2020 in its integrated report for the year. During the year, the group developed and implemented over 50 new hygiene and safety protocols against the Covid-19 outbreak, achieved zero fatalities and lost-time injuries across 96% of its operations and led remote operations with its Cemex Go digital platform, which accounted for 61% of global sales in 2020. Cemex announced its Climate Action strategy in February 2020, defining a global target of a 35% reduction of CO2 emissions per tonne of cementitious product by 2030. It also established an ambition to deliver net-zero CO2 concrete to all its customers globally by 2050.

At 31 December 2020 it had already achieved a 35% emissions reduction across its European operations and became the first cement producer to set a 55% reduction target in line with the European Commission’s new goal for member states. The group co-processed 2.7Mt of waste for use as alternative fuel (AF) across 91% of its cement plants, replacing 1.6Mt of coal at a substitution rate of 25%. The producer classified 29% of its cement business’ power consumption as ‘clean,’ with 100% renewable power supply across cement, concrete, and aggregates operations in Poland and the UK. The year also saw the global introduction of Vertua low carbon and net-zero CO2 products. Vertua Ultra Zero is the first net-zero CO2 concrete.

Cemex continues to operate under its Operation Resilience medium-term plan. The plan aims to promote growth, sustainability, and financial resilience. The company has amended its bank debt under its facilities agreement, which incorporates green metrics, and strengthened its social impact strategy to reinforce community initiatives. Group activities positively impacted more than 23 million people on an accumulated basis, contributing to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, according to the producer.

Chief executive officer Fernando Gonzalez said, “2020 was undoubtedly a very challenging year, with Covid-19 abruptly upending every aspect of our lives and disrupting every industry worldwide.” He added, “Sustainability remains one of our top priorities, and our Climate Action strategy makes us confident in our ability to achieve our targets and aspirations.”

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has published a March 2021 Economic Update. The update calls attention to the danger that insufficient aid to state and local governments presents to construction. The American Rescue Plan Act 2021 affords US$350bn to these bodies, which consume roughly half of the cement produced in the US.

Senior regional economist Brian Schmidt said that state and local government coffers are running low due to reduced tax revenues because of the Covid-19 outbreak, especially in areas reliant on oil and tourism. Schmidt concluded that the total US$1.9tn stimulus package is likely sufficiently replenish state funds to maintain cement demand. He added that this will depend on significantly reduced Covid-19 case counts by the third quarter of 2021 in line with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s baseline forecast.

Denmark: FLSmidth says that it has allocated performance shares to 160 executive managers and key staff under its Long-Term Incentive programme. The shares have a three-year vesting period and are subject to fulfilment of stretched targets. Applicable targets are earnings before interest, taxation and amortisation (EBITA) margin, total shareholder return and MissionZero emissions reduction programme performance. The supplier estimated the cost of the plan as Euro6.98m assuming full vesting.

The company said, “The primary purpose of the programme is to retain key staff and to align the interests of shareholders and the incentive programme participants by rewarding performance in accordance with the company’s strategy.”

Philippines: Republic Cement, a subsidiary of Ireland’s CRH, has won the Quarry Operations award at the 2021 Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Awards in Quezon City for its work sustainably supplying limestone to its Bulacan and Batangas cement plants. The Batangas quarry also won the Safest Quarry award, while the Bulacan quarry won the Best Mining Forest Programme in the Non-metallic category. The company’s Iligan quarry won the Platinum Achievement for Quarry Operations award. President Lloyd Vicente received the prizes.

Germany: Events producer Easyfairs has announced the postponement of Solids Dortmund to 16 – 17 February 2022 from June 2021. The company said that all Solids Dortmund tickets and free codes for June 2022 remain valid for the new dates. It added that it plans to launch Solids on Tour, consisting of new Solids RegioDays in Chemnitz, Saxony, and Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. It will also use virtual formats to help networking and business in bulk handling throughout 2021.

Dominican Republic: Domicem, a subsidiary of Italy’s Colacem, has begun work on a second line at its Sabana Grande de Palenque cement plant in San Cristóbal province. Ansa News has reported the cost of the project as US$120m. When commissioned in late 2022, the line will produce cement for export.