21 April 2021
Brazil: LafargeHolcim Brasil, part of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim, is reportedly seeking to sell its assets. The Diario do Comercio newspaper has reported the rumour without detailing its sources. LafargeHolcim has not commented on the matter. However, local government officials in Borosso, Minas Gerais said they were waiting for an official confirmation from the cement producer before they could comment. The newspaper also speculated that the group may have already notified the Brazil government of its intent to sell. Under Brazilian law, any sale would require the approval of the Administrative Council for Economic Defence (CADE). The producer operates three cement plants and two grinding plants in the country.
Nigeria: The Senate of Nigeria has called for the federal government to introduce policies, such as tax breaks, to encourage local investments in cement production. The upper legislative chamber made the resolution following a debate about a bill intended to relax rules surrounding cement policy in the country, according the Punch newspaper. It also requested the federal government to provide more industrial incentives and protections such as offering concessionary loans and larger tax incentives for new entrants in order to boost production of cement, reduce prices and encourage more ‘valuable’ local producers.
Senator Lola Ashiru, one of the co-sponsors of the bill, noted that cement was one of the few building materials in which Nigeria was self-sufficient with production capacity reportedly over twice as high as estimated consumption in 2018. However, he said that cement prices in the country were about 240% higher than the global average.
Saudi Arabia: Yamama Cement plans to transfer and install the seventh production line from its old plant in the south of Riyadh to the new plant’s location in Northern Halal in Al-Kharj governorate of the Riyadh region. The line has a clinker production capacity of 10,000t/day. Following the completion of the move by the end of 2024 the new plant will have a capacity of 30,000t/day. The cement producer said that cost of the move would be funded from the available company's resources.
Saudi Arabia: Yanbu Cement says that a two months modernisation project on Line 4 at its integrated Yanbu plant that was first reported in mid-February 2021 has been delayed. This has been caused by a hold up in receiving certain spare parts. The cement producer said that the financial impact would be limited to the increase in production costs only since the start of the shutdown date. It also stressed that sales would not be affected by the stoppage due to its existing clinker stocks.
France: LafargeHolcim France, part of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim, plans to invest Euro6.2m in 2021 in upgrading its integrated La Malle cement plant in Bouc-Bel-Air, Bouches-du-Rhône department. The La Provence newspaper has reported that the plans include a Euro4.5m modernisation of the flue gas desulphurisation system of the plant’s Line 2 using equipment ordered from Italy-based Boldrocchi. The company said that it plans to maintain similar investment levels in the plant in 2022 and 2023.
The plant had reportedly received complaints about sulphurous smells in the local area. The producer attributed this to the high sulphur content in its clay, which is sometimes over 70%. It said that it is altering supply arrangement to include clay from its L'Estaque, Bouc-Bel-Air and Bellegarde, Ain quarries in its clinker mix in order to reduce sulphur content by 20%.
France: A fire has been reported at LafargeHolcim France’s integrated Saint-Pierre-la-Cour plant. It appears to have been caused by a fuel supply line explosion attached to the plant’s kiln, according to the Ouest France newspaper. No casualties have been reported by local fire fighters. The single kiln 1.5Mt/yr plant is the company’s largest in the country.
Taiheiyo Cement to start CO2 capture project at Kumagaya plant using Carbon Clean technology 21 April 2021
Japan: Taiheiyo Cement plans to start a CO2 capture demonstration project at its Kumagaya plant in Kumagaya City, Saitama. It will use technology for CO2 chemical absorption supplied by UK-based Carbon Clean, which has been awarded by Japan-based Marubeni Protechs in Japan. The project will have a capacity of 10t/day and demonstration tests will begin in September 2021. Taiheiyo Cement says that it believes that CO2 recovery technology from cement kiln flue gas will require compact equipment that could be installed in cement plants and that suitable amine solvents for cement kiln flue gas are essential conditions. Its ultimate goal is to establish a technology that can be used to help it reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
The cement producer has been developing this technology as a sole grant recipient of the ‘Development of Carbon Circulation Technology for the Cement Industry,’ a project funded by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) which was awarded in June 2020. It also launched its internal Carbon Neutral Technology Development Project Team in April 2020, which has led on the project.
Marubeni Protechs, a wholly owned subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation, which invested in Carbon Clean, have been involved in a variety of domestic and international projects involving equipment supply and construction. The project at the Kumagaya plant is expected to be the first CO2 capture plant that Marubeni Protechs and Carbon Clean have introduced in Japan. Marubeni Protechs and Carbon Clean intend to jointly introduce CO2 capture plants in the future.
University of Tokyo researchers develop cement-free concrete production method from sand 21 April 2021
Japan: Researchers from the University of Tokyo have developed a new method for producing cement-free concrete from sand. The method reacts sand with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst, according to ChemEurope. When dehydrated, this produces tetraalkoxysilate. The research team then reintroduced water, and thus allowed the reactants to move back and forth between tetraalkoxysilate and sand. In this way, the sand particles progressively bonded together. The resulting concrete is reportedly more resilient to chemical, temperature and humidity changes than concrete produced from Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC).
In the report of the findings, researcher Ahmad Farahani wrote that various sources of sand tested suitable for use, including silica sand, glass beads and simulated moon sand. This gives the method the advantage that it is non-specific to raw materials or locations, and can be integrated into waste management.
GCCA expands Innovandi innovation programme 21 April 2021
UK: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has expanded its Innovandi innovation programme with the addition of a new Open Challenge innovation accelerator programme. The Open Challenge programme will bring together start-ups and leading cement and concrete producers to innovate for CO2 emissions reduction in the cement industry. Its aim is carbon neutral concrete production by 2050.
GCCA chief executive officer Dinah McLeod said “The GCCA is delighted to be expanding Innovandi to encompass both the Research Network and the upcoming Open Challenge. By connecting innovative start-ups with cement and concrete producers we can help accelerate the development of solutions that address the emissions reduction challenges our industry faces.”
Spain: Cementos Cosmos and the Cooperativa Apícola del Bierzo have installed 25 bee hives at the Corullón quarry, which supports the integrated Toral de los Vados plant in Leon. The collaboration agreement aims to promote the production of honey, propolis and pollen. The hives will be cared for by the Bierzo Beekeeping Cooperative and the adaptation and maintenance of the land where they will be located will be carried out by Cementos Cosmos. The cement company will also become the preferred customer for the production of the beehives located in the quarry. Following the signing of the agreement plant director Jaime Santoalla said, "we are convinced of the coexistence and synergies between our industry and other sectors of Bierzo, such as the agricultural-food sector.”