
Displaying items by tag: GCW373
China: Anhui Conch has signed a cement sale and purchase agreement with Jiangsu Conch Building Materials with a value of up to around US$230m. Subsidiaries of Anhui Conch based in east China will sell a total of 3.5Mt of cement products to Jiangsu Conch, a non-wholly owned subsidiary of Anhui Conch. The contract will last until the end of 2018.
The agreement has been setup for a relatively short time period as a pilot scheme to test the market. The intention is to allow the direct Anhui Conch subsidiaries to focus on production and to enable Jiangsu Conch to concentrate on using its ‘centralised sales advantage.’
Anhui Conch on finance hunt for terminal in Indonesia
02 October 2018Indonesia: China’s Anhui Conch is looking for finance to support a US$105m terminal it wants to build in Palembang. Yu Jun, a project manager at the cement producer said that the project will be able to import and export 0.4Mt/yr and it will have a berth for ships of 3000DWT, according to Inside International Industrials. The company hopes to secure funding by the end of February 2019.
Oil prices hitting packaging prices for Indian cement producers
02 October 2018India: High crude oil prices are forcing packaging costs to rise for cement producers. Data sourced from Capitaline shows that Ambuja Cements’ packaging material cost rose by 19% year-on-year in the 2018 financial year, according to the Mint business newspaper. Similarly, Shree Cement’s packaging costs rose by 9%. Both companies use high-density polyethylene bags, which are affected by the cost of oil. Crude oil prices have risen by around 24% to far in 2018 to above US$80/barrel.
LafargeHolcim increases stake in Holcim Azerbaijan
01 October 2018Azerbaijan: LafargeHolcim has increased its stake in Holcim Azerbaijan to 76% from 66%. The move followed the decision by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to sell its 10% equity stake in the cement producer, according to ABZ News. Remaining shares in company are held by individual shareholders.
Boral grinding plant at Geelong expected to open in 2020
01 October 2018Australia: Boral Cement’s proposed 1.3Mt/yr grinding plant at Geelong in Melbourne is expected to be operational by 2020. Construction work on the US$94m unit is planed to start soon, according to the Geelong Advertiser newspaper. The plant will be connected to Lascelles Wharf at the Port of Geelong via a conveyor system.
The cement producer and the port have signed a 25-year agreement supporting the facility. Boral has operated at the port for the last seven years. The new grinding plant is intended to allow Boral to reduce the cost and time of transporting its products from its Waurn Ponds plant. It will also support an anticipated growth in infrastructure demand in Victoria.
Al Jouf Cement makes first export to Yemen
01 October 2018Yemen: Saudi Arabia’s Al Jouf Cement says it has completed its first export to Yemen. It transported 9000t of cement. The financial impact of the shipment will be recorded in its financial report for the third quarter of 2018.
Tanzania: Energy minister Medard Kalemani has inaugurated a new natural gas connection project to Dangote Cement’s plant at Mtwara. The project is being implemented to two phases with a new power plant planned that will generate up to 45MW, according to the Tanzanian Guardian newspaper. The upgrade will cost around US$875,000. Phase two of the project will see the construction of a 2.7km pipeline to the cement plant as well as supporting infrastructure. This is expected to be completed by the end of October 2018. Using natural gas is expected to significantly reduce the running costs of making the cement, which has been using diesel generators.
FLSmidth collaborates with Technical University of Denmark on sustainable process technology research
01 October 2018Denmark: Engineering company FLSmidth is working with insulation manufacturer Rockwool and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) on a research project to develop sustainable process technologies that will increase the use of renewable fuels and raw materials and reduce CO2 emissions. The project has received a Euro2.7m grant from Innovation Fund Denmark.
The project plans to investigate and optimise high-temperature processes throughout the entire production chain in both companies. The DTU holds experience in this field from the CHEC research centre at DTU Chemical Engineering, which has focused on combustion research and emission abatement in recent years. FLSmidth plans to explore using alternative cement formulas and production methods to enable the company to launch more efficient technologies for using renewable fuels and reducing emissions. Rockwool intends to lower CO2 emissions and reduce its fuel consumption to make its production become more sustainable.
China: Lubao Cement has ordered three vertical roller mills from Germany’s Loesche for a new 4500t/day plant that is being built at Bei Liu in Guang Xi. The project is being handled by Sinoma (Suzhou) Construction, part of Sinoma International Engineering and China National Building Material Group (CNBM) in turn.
Loesche is supplying three mills for the project, one each for raw material, coal and clinker/slag. One four-roller mill with a capacity of 450t/hr will be used for grinding cement raw material to a fineness of 12% with a sieving residue of R 80μm. Another mill with a throughput of 200t/hr will be used for the subsequent grinding of cement clinker to a fineness of 3400 - 3600 Blaine. A large three-roller mill with a capacity of 42t/hr will be used for grinding fuel coal to a fineness of 2% and a sieving residue of R 80μm.
No value for the order has been disclosed.
Schenck Process buys Process Components
01 October 2018UK: Germany’s Schenck Process has acquired Process Components and its subsidiaries, including Kemutec Group in the US, with its brands Kemutec, Kek-Gardner, Mucon and PPS Air Classifier Mills from EPIC Private Equity. Process Components is a UK-based designer and manufacturer of powder processing and handling equipment, components and spare parts, serving the Chemical, Food, Pharmaceutical and Environmental industries.
The product portfolio of Process Components includes the brands: Kek-Gardner - founded in 1860, recognised for milling and sieving as well as mixing and blending technology; PPS Air Classifier Mills - founded in 1980; Mucon - founded in 1946, known for Iris Valves; and Kemutec - founded in 1980, known for powder processing equipment and systems.
“The acquisition of Process Components with its very well established product lines, a large installed base as well as a great reputation of its brands Kek-Gardner, PPS Air Classifier Mills, Mucon and Kemutec enriches the expertise and capabilities of Schenck Process. We are delighted to add key process steps in the area of mixing, milling and classification for our customers,” said Jay Brown, President Food, Chemicals & Plastics at Schenck Process.
Anthony Goodwin, managing director of Process Components will continue to lead the business following the takeover. No value for the purchase has been disclosed.