Displaying items by tag: Expansion
PCA forecasts moderate consumption growth to 31 December 2021
25 November 2019US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has releases a two-year forecast of moderate growth in cement consumption between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021. It projected growth of 1.7% in 2020, slowing slightly to 1.4% in 2021, corresponding to 2.1% and 1.7% GDP growth annually. Speaking at the 38th International Cement Seminar in Atlanta, PCA senior vice president and chief economist Ed Sullivan projected consumption growth of 1.6% - 2.3% in 2019 against GDP growth of 2.4% over the period, with consumption bolstered by the 2018 Federal Budget, which allowed for US$20bn in infrastructure investments in 2018 and 2019. He noted growing uncertainty (21% in 2019) with the expiry of the ‘pent-up demand zip that invigorates the initial stages of economic recovery long past.’
Rising house prices and mild inflation signify the continuation of the US economy’s longest expansion post-World War Two, with 161,000 net new jobs generated so far in 2019. With a forecasted population increase of 60m by 2040, US cement producers appears still have their work cut out in keeping up with demand.
India: Dalmia Bharat Cement will invest US$492m in projects to expand its cement production capacity by 8Mt/yr to 34Mt/yr from 26Mt/yr. The sum includes a consolidated investment of US$422m in brownfield developments in Eastern India to increase integrated capacity at its Rajgangpur plant in Odisha by 3.0Mt/yr, and at its Kasba plant in West Bengal by 2.7Mt/yr, to 6.6Mt/yr and 4.0Mt/yr respectively. The expansion is scheduled for completion by March 2020.
Hosokawa Alpine extends its business to pre-owned process technologies
20 September 2019Germany: Hosokawa Alpine will sell and rent out pre-owned process-technological machines. It has announced that its new rental and used equipment division will uphold the usual Alpine quality.
Taiwan Cement purchases two bulk carriers with option for a third
19 September 2019China: Taiwan Cement has published information on behalf of its shipping subsidiary Ta-Ho Maritime concerning the latter’s purchase of two 84,000t capacity bulk carrier vessels at a price not exceeding US$70m from Japan-based shipbuilder Sumitomo. The deal contains an option to purchase a third unit for not more than US$35m, to be exercised before 30 September 2019.
Lehigh Cement applying to expand quarry at Nazareth plant
04 December 2018US: Lehigh Cement has applied to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to expand the quarry at its Nazareth cement plant. It wants to increase its mining area by a third to 112 hectares from 84 hectares according to the Express-Times newspaper. A public consultation period on the application will run until late December 2018.
Illinois Cement preparing to expand quarry at La Salle plant
29 November 2018US: Illinois Cement is preparing to expand the limestone quarry at its La Salle plant. The company has submitted plans to the local government to build a new quarry to the west and northwest of its existing mine, according to the News tribune newspaper. It also wants to move a road to support the changes. The existing quarry will be closed. The cement producer has held public consultations on the project and the local authorities are considering the plan.
HeidelbergCement planning to expand quarry for Paderborn plant
05 October 2018Germany: HeidelbergCement is planning to expand the Atlas quarry of its Paderborn plant. The quarry area will be increased by nine hectares, according to the Neue Westfälische newspaper. The company says that the expansion is necessary to support the supply of raw materials to the plant. It has organised an information forum for local residents.
JK Lakshmi ramps up production
04 September 2018India: JK Lakshmi Cement has recently ramped up the production capacity of its grinding units in the state to cater to growing cement demand in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The cement maker operates two grinding units in Gujarat, one at Kalol near Ahmedabad and one in Surat.
"Our combined capacity at both these locations has been raised to about 2.5Mt/yr from 1.5Mt/yr earlier," said Shailendra Chouksey, whole-time director of JK Lakshmi Cement. "We have been expecting reasonable growth in the cement sector largely driven by various government initiatives, as well as focus on infrastructure projects.”
Holcim Philippines to Build Build Build
03 September 2018Philippines: Holcim Philippines is reported to be considering additional clinker lines in line with the government's ‘Build Build Build’ infrastructure initiative. The LafargeHolcim subsidiary is already in the process of undertaking national expansion from 10Mt/yr in 2018 to 12Mt/yr in 2019.
Kohat Cement orders four Loesche mills
16 August 2018Pakistan: Kohat Cement Company Ltd. has ordered four vertical roller mills (VRM) from Germany’s Loesche in order to expand its cement plant in Kohat, 160km west of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.
The order comprises a 4-roller raw material mill with a material throughput of 500t/hr and two cement mills each with a grinding capacity of 210t/hr of Portland cement. The order is finally complemented by another vertical roller mill for grinding 50t/hr of anthracite. They will all be used on the same cement production line, which Kohat Cement is in the process of building. The lead time for the mills will be eight months.
The plant’s production capacity is currently around 2.8Mt/yr of Portland and white cement. When the new line enters production, the plant’s capacity will rise by 2.2Mt/yr to reach 5.0Mt/yr.