11 February 2021

US: France-based Vicat subsidiary National Cement Company of Alabama has completed the installation of a new 5000t/day clinker line at its Ragland, Alabama cement plant. The line has a raw meal capacity of 13,000t.

Vicat engineering senior vice president Jean-Claude Brocheton congratulated the installation team on the ‘major step’ and on completing the work ahead of schedule.

Australia: James Hardie recorded net sales of US$2.10bn in the first nine months of its 2021 financial year, up by 9% year-on-year from US$1.93bn in the first nine months of its 2020 financial year. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxation rose by 25% to US$456m from US$366m. Sales and earnings increased in all three regions in which the company operates. In Australia and New Zealand, it reduced costs by consolidating fibre cement production at its two Australian plants.

Chief executive officer Jack Truong said, “I am pleased with these record results, underpinned by excellent execution of our business transformation that we began in 2019, combined with increasing demand for our premium-quality James Hardie brand products and solutions. The transformation we undertook to unlock capacity and increase efficiency in our global manufacturing network through lean initiatives and to better integrate our supply chain with our customers continues to deliver consistent market share gains and the ability to serve our customers seamlessly around the world. We are firmly on track with our investments in growth to broaden our portfolio with industry-leading innovations that enhance aesthetic value for homeowners. Our transformation initiatives will enable us to expand our market opportunity and allow us to continue to deliver strong performance.”

Saudi Arabia: Saudi White Cement has rebranded as Riyadh Cement Company. Mubasher News has reported that the company previously received regulatory approval for the change to the commercial register. It had used both names in parallel prior to the change.

UK: HeidelbergCement subsidiary Hanson has installed a solar and wind-powered hydrogen generation demonstration unit at its Port Talbot Regen ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) plant in Port Talbot in Neath Port Talbot. The company says that the project is part of a collaboration with Swansea University’s Energy Safety Research Institute under the European Research and Development Fund’s Reducing Industrial Carbon Emissions initiative. The hydrogen generated by the installation will replace natural gas in the GGBFS plant’s burners.

Head of sustainability Marian Garfield said, “It is estimated that cement is the source of just under 2% of UK CO₂ emissions. With demand for cement and cement replacement products predicted to increase by 25% by 2030, researchers and industry are working hard to reduce the level of CO₂ emissions associated with production. As a leading manufacturer, we take our responsibility very seriously. In the UK we have already achieved a 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions since 1990 across the business and have set an ambitious new target of a 50% reduction by 2030 from the same baseline. We are constantly looking to improve energy efficiency and carbon reduction at our cement and Regen GGBFS plants, so we are delighted to be involved with this innovative research project.”

India: Denmark-based Hasle has supplied a Hasle D59A coating-resistant castable to Asian Cement for use on the inlet chamber and riser duct at its cement plant. The supplier supervised installation. It said that the castable will reduce the required lining materials of the equipment, resulting in savings.