Displaying items by tag: Infrastructure

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) reports that cement consumption rose by 3.6% year-on-year in the first 11 months of 2021. Ed Sullivan, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at the PCA, made the announcement at the World of Concrete trade fair in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also forecast that cement consumption would be driven by non-residential and public works in 2023 and 2024 as mortgage rates increased. The country is also set to spend US$1tn on new and rehabilitated infrastructure projects and this would consume 46Mt of cement over a five-year program. Over a quarter of this amount would be used on roads, bridges and resiliency structures.

The PCA’s president and chief executive officer Mike Ireland and Senior Vice President of Sustainability Rick Bohan also spoke at the event to further promote the association’s Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality.

UK: Ecocem has reported the successful delivery of the first batch of its Exegy ultra-low CO2 concrete at the site of the upcoming EcoPark South waste management hub at Edmonton EcoPark in London. Infrastructure construction company Taylor Woodrow carried out the work. Ecocem says that Taylor Woodrow used Ecocem Ultra concrete from the new Exegy range, reducing the carbon footprint of the project’s concrete by 70%.

Ecocem says that it has secured contracts for the supply of Ecocem Ultra concrete to the sites of the upcoming Grand Paris Express transport link and Paris Athletes’ Village in Paris in Paris, France.

Bangladesh: Bashundhara Cement has signed an agreement with China-based Fifth Major Bridge Engineering to supply cement for the Dhaka Ashulia Elevated Expressway. The 24km road will connect Shahjalal International Airport to the Dhaka Export Processing Zone, according to the Daily Sun newspaper. Chinese investors will fund 65% of the estimated cost of the project under Preferential Buyer’s Credit. Bangladesh will have to repay the costs within 20 years, with 2% interest rate and a grace period of five years. Bashundhara cement products are also being used in 14 large scale bridge projects, 11 power plants, and water and sewage treatment plants.

US: Cementos Argos plans to begin trading publically in mid-late 2022 with the launch of an initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange.

The company said “The listing in the US will contribute to the purpose of fully capturing the business value of the company, optimising the capital structure and obtaining the necessary resources to continue executing the growth strategy that the company plans to achieve in that country as a result of the recent approval of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for US$1tn and the positive cycle expected for the construction materials industry in the residential, commercial and civil works segments during the next 10 years.”

UK: Construction company Milestone Infrastructure used cement-free concrete supplied by DB Group subsidiary Cemfree to lay kerbs for a new road in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. The work consisted of a road widening in order to create new cycle and bus lanes with floating bus stops and an innovative cycle roundabout. Milestone Infrastructure built 13,000m2 of new paths and cycle lanes, diverted 74 underground utilities and resurfaced 18,000m2 of road. The project begun in February 2020.

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has expressed its support of the House of Representatives' new Infrastructure and Jobs Act, consisting of a US$1.2Tn infrastructure spending plan. The plan includes US$550bn in new federal investments before 2027. US$16bn is set aside for 'major projects' requiring special funding arrangements. The legislative body voted in favour of the bill on 7 November 2021. The act awaits the signature of US President Joe Biden. Biden previously unveiled a proposed US$2.25Tn infrastructure package in March 2021.

PCA president and chief executive officer Michael Ireland said "The PCA applauds the US House of Representatives for finally passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bipartisan infrastructure bill not only addresses years of underinvestment in the nation’s infrastructure but will spur economic growth and job creation in communities across the country, improving the quality of life and our nation’s global competitiveness. As many are still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, this legislation will further our nation’s recovery, creating thousands of well-paying jobs."

He continued "PCA members across the country appreciate the legislation passing a long-term reauthorisation of the surface transportation programme, including significant investments in our water infrastructure, providing funding for the department of energy to focus on the research, developmentand deployment of technologies for manufacturers to capture carbon emissions, and the exemption of cement from Buy America requirements. We are eager for President Biden to sign this legislation into law and start building a better future for America.”

Nigeria: Domestic cement sales totalled US$3.46bn in value in the first nine months of 2021, up by 30% year-on-year from US$2.66bn in the corresponding period of 2020. The Punch newspaper has reported that market research company Atlas Portfolios Limited attributed the growth to an increase in federal and state governments’ infrastructure spending. The company added that increased homebuilding following the end of the Covid-19 lockdown generated further demand growth.

Switzerland: Holcim has announced new global social impact targets for 2030 under its new People Strategy. The targets fall under three pillars. These are ‘bridging the housing and infrastructure gap,’ ‘improving livelihoods’ and ‘upholding human rights.’ The company says that this will entail efforts to ensure adequate housing and infrastructure for all, support for health, education and skill building and the implementation of due diligence across its value chain. The strategy includes a target to create Euro468m of social value by 2030. The figure will include the total value of schools, hospitals, rural roads and affordable housing renovated or built in the period. Between 2016 and 2020, Holcim benefited over 31m people with Euro187.21m in social investment.

CEO Jan Jenisch said “Our business plays an essential role in society's progress. We build the roads, bridges, hospitals and schools that enable people to thrive around the world. With 3bn people expected to lack access to adequate housing by 2030, I am committed to putting our business to work to uplift our communities.”

Mexico: Cemex CEO Fernando Gonzalez has estimated that the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak will cost the group US$100m in 2021. Gonzalez attributed the anticipated negative effect on full-year earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to supply chain disruptions and currency effects, especially on the Mexican Peso, as well as delays to projects globally.

Bangladesh: Seven Rings Cement has secured a contract for the supply of cement to the site of the upcoming Sylhet Osmani Internation Airport in Sylhet. Chief marketing officer Gautam Chatterjee signed the contract with Beijing Urban Construction Group on behalf of the company.

Seven Rings Cement is currently also supplying cement for the new Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Terminal 3 in Dhaka.