Displaying items by tag: GCW79

Nigeria: The 4Mt/yr Dangote Cement plant in Gboko, Benue State, is due to shut because of glut of cement in the market, according to an announcement from the company.

The move was necessary because of the increase in local production of cement and also the continued import of subsidised cement into the country, according to the group's head of corporate communication Anthony Chiejina. He said in a statement that the production figures for the first 11 months of 2012 show that local supply now exceeds demand.

The total supply of cement to the Nigerian market at the end of November 2012 was a record 11.4% higher than by the same point in 2011. Chiejina said it was disheartening to note that despite the glut in the local cement market, cement imports, though reduced, have continued, thus calling to question the rigorous implementation of the backward integration policy, which was introduced to encourage local production.

Explaining why the Gboko plant should be shut, Chiejina said, "With the dumping of subsidised imported cement in the south-eastern market there is no way that our Gboko Cement plant can survive. The inventory of finished products is beginning to build up at our plants. Don't forget that projects from our investments of about US$1.8bn in additional capacity are already on stream, with lines three and four at Ibese and line four at Obajana, coming on stream early this year."

Chiejina said that other Nigerian manufacturers are also experiencing the same problem of low sales and high inventory. He advised that the government should vigorously implement the provisions of the cement backward integration policy, which he said is needed to protect local manufacturers from dumping. Chiejina said that he wants the government to consider the total ban on cement imports, in view of the fact that local production now surpasses demand for cement and in the interim also increase duty and levy on imported cement to the maximum permissible level.

Australia: Building products maker Boral is cutting 90 jobs as it reduces some manufacturing at a cement plant in Geelong, Victoria, in favour of imports. About 90 staff at the Waurn Ponds cement plant will be affected by the suspension of clinker production. Boral intends to import clinker due to the high Australian dollar and low shipping costs and use the plant as a cement milling facility only. It is thought that the kiln will be shut down by April 2013.

The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) said that it will work with the company to try and save as many jobs as possible. Talks will be held with the workers over coming weeks to explore all options, to avoid or mitigate job losses and to organise redundancies or redeployment within the company.

"A continued low level of demand associated with the downturn in Australian building and construction activity is also adversely impacting the profitability of Boral's cement business, where high fixed cost manufacturing assets continue to be under-utilised," said Boral's CEO Mike Kane said in a statement. "Across all of our businesses we need to ensure that we are aligning our domestic production with demand levels and that our cost structures are globally competitive and can be sustained through the cycle."

UK/US: In anticipation of tighter regulations for mercury emissions, SICK has developed the new MERCEM300Z mercury measuring system, a high-accuracy continuous-flow gas analyser for emissions down to the 0–45µg/m³ range from a wide range of combustion sources.

According to SICK, the patented gas spectrum of the MERCEM300Z rapid monitoring system offers superior performance with better long term, drift-free accuracy and lower running costs. The system requires minimal maintenance, is self adjusting and uses no chemical consumables.

"Awareness of the pollution caused by mercury and its compounds in combustion emissions is increasing in the UK and Europe," explained John Exford, Process Automation Division Manager, SICK (UK). "From power generation, cement kilns and hospital waste to crematoriums, the need to tighten up on mercury will be very important in 2013, when the EU will be following the United Nations lead in a world-wide treaty."

Mercury emissions are a particularly pertinent issue in the US cement industry, which will experience tighter mercury level controls in 2013.