Egypt: Egyptian Cement Group’s chief executive officer (CEO) Ahmed Abou Hashima says that the company plans to inaugurate its new cement factory in 2021. The plant is located in Sohag and has a total investment cost of US$285m, according to the Hapi Journal. The 2Mt/yr project was originally scheduled to open in the first half of 2020 but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Turkey: DAL Teknik Makina says that Çimsa Çimento has engaged its services for a cyclone replacement at its 3.4Mt/yr Mersin cement plant in Mersin Province. The upgrade consists of “modification of the first and second-stage cyclones and riser ducts in the first clinker production line, downcomer ducts modification, dip tubes, pendulum flaps, meal pipes and splash boxes installation and refractory procurement and installation.”

The group said, “The modification project will allow electrical and a small amount of heat energy reduction by reducing pressure drop and improving separation efficiency of the cyclones.”

Nigeria: Lafarge Africa has made a donation of US$1.29m to the battle against Covid-19 in Nigeria. Business Day news has reported that the money will go towards “various initiatives aimed at fighting the pandemic.” Lafarge Africa previously gave the use of three of its facilities and donated personal protective equipment (PPE) for the isolation and treatment of Coronavrius patients in April 2020.

US: CRH subsidiary Ash Grove Cement says that it is undertaking an upgrade of its Port Manatee, Florida deep water cement terminal to install a high capacity FLSmidth Kovako unloader and modernise existing material transfer and electrical systems, as well as establishing self-loading capabilities. The aim of the upgrade is “to improve Ash Grove’s capacity to import cement clinker, slag and fly ash to meet the existing and future needs of customers in the Florida and South Georgia markets.

Regional president Monica Manolas said, “The underlying fundamentals in the Florida market are positive with good population and employment growth. The upgrade of the Port Manatee import terminal will expand our capabilities and strengthen our ability to meet growing demand in the region.”

The company says that construction will begin in early 2021 and the upgraded terminal will open in late 2021.

UK: Hanson Cement’s Ketton plant has been featured in a short film as part of ‘Triple Harvest’ by Fermynwoods Contemporary Art, an arts charity’s online exhibition of video films looking at public spaces in Northamptonshire. The programme explores the push and pull between nature and human presence and the effect that extracting resources from the landscape has upon those living within it. Amanda Loomes’ film ‘Combine’ mixes footage from the Ketton cement plant in Rutland in 2017 with archive extracts from ‘Double Harvest,’ ‘The Great Jib’ and ‘Iron Ore in Britain.’

Other works in the programme examine the experience of steel production, farming and the experience of refugees moving to the area. The project has been supported by Corby Borough Council Archives and funded by Arts Council England.

View the 'Triple Harvest' online exhibition here: http://fermynwoods.org/triple-harvest-films/

India: Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has forecast a 15% year-on-year decline in domestic cement demand in the 2021 financial year, which ends on 30 March 2021 due to “weak property demand and a sluggish construction cycle.” Fitch Ratings gave the reasons for the decline as “low consumer confidence caused by business uncertainty and unemployment concerns,” causing “underlying appetites of financial institutions to lend to the construction sector to remain weak” in spite of the Reserve Bank of India’s temporary funding relief measures to the sector, which include “loan restructuring, moratoriums and relaxed lending limits.”

Fitch Ratings reported that steel demand will also fall by 10% in the 2021 financial year.

UK: Breedon Group says that it has “continued to deliver an encouraging trading performance since demand began to return in early May 2020 after the Covid-19 lockdown,” recording eight-month sales of Euro580m over the period that ended on 31 August 2020, down by 15% from Euro681 over the corresponding period of 2019. The group says that the figure includes the contributions of its newly acquired Cemex ready-mix and aggregates assets for August 2020.

As a result of this performance, the board reinstated its 2020 guidance, with underlying earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) for the second half of 2020 anticipated to be in line with that in the second half of 2019. It added, “We continue to be reassured by the UK government's restated commitment to investment in the UK's infrastructure and to encouraging demand from the UK housing market, complemented by similar trends in the Republic of Ireland.”

Norway: The Norwegian government has introduced a bill to parliament to allow funding for industrial scale implementation of HeidelbergCement’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at its 1.2Mt/yr Brevik plant in Porsgrunn, Telemark. If enacted, the legislation will provide for the majority of required funding.

HeidelbergCement chair Dominik von Achten, “We are very pleased with the proposal of the Norwegian government. This allows us to continue the pioneering work that we started together with our partners in Brevik. The CCS project in Norway is an important cornerstone in our climate strategy. It will enable us to significantly reduce otherwise unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions related to the cement production process.”

US: Fortune has named Cemex amongst socially impactful companies on its 2020 Change the World list. It gave the reasons for the company’s inclusion as “its efforts in social impact business models. One such initiative was the rapid deployment of solutions to meet the current challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Working with the Mexican Institute of Social Security and in coordination with more than 20 multi-sectoral partners in Mexico, Cemex built mobile hospitals with highly durable precast antibacterial concrete modules in a record time of two weeks per medical facility. This effort in Mexico will be replicated in other countries where Cemex has operations to contribute to global challenges positively.”

Chief executive officer (CEO) Fernando González said, “Once again, we are honoured by Fortune’s recognition of our efforts to improve the well-being and quality of life of the population. By living our purpose of building a better future and working with our stakeholders, we seek to develop innovative solutions while promoting a sustainable and resilient future.”

Spain: Cementos Portland Valderrivas helped make the Molinos de Guadaíra Special Education Centre (MGSEC) in Alcalá de Guadaíra, Seville Province suitable for socially-distanced teaching with a donation of desks and chairs. MGSEC director Nuria Gómez Pascual said that the materials "allow us to improve teaching, facilitating the distribution of students and enabling a greater distance between them,” in accordance with educational and health authorities’ recommendations against Covid-19.

Cementos Portland Valderrivas Alcalá de Guadaíra plant head of environment Pedro Lanagrán said, “The company is committed to the population of Alcala, and especially to the education sector – key to the proper development of our town.”