Displaying items by tag: Japan

China: 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.

South Korea: The Korea Cement Association (KCA) says its members will increase the use of coal ash from local thermal power plants or source alternative raw materials from domestic clay mines. The decision follows a trade dispute between South Korea and Japan, according to the Aju Business Daily newspaper.

The Environment Ministry started to tighten rules concerning the import of coal ashes from Japan in August 2019 citing fears of radioactive and heavy metal contamination. Importers are now required to submit an authorised radioactive inspection report and the analysis of heavy metal components. The KCA said its members use 3.15Mt/yr of coal ash and 1.28Mt/yr is imported from Japan.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement’s sales fell by 2.1% year-on-year to US$1.94bn in the quarter to 30 June 2019 from US$1.99bn in the same period in 2018. Its profit dropped by 37.6% to US$58.7m from US$94.1m. It blamed falling sales on the end of construction booms linked to preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, earthquake reconstruction work and the construction of Yatsuba Dam. Exports also fell.

Japan: UBE Machinery Corporation has signed a license agreement for the design, manufacture and commissioning of vertical roller mills for cement plants and related applications on exclusive basis with India’s AMCL Machinery for markets in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The deal was signed in late May 2019. This license agreement has been signed to explore ‘mutual cooperation and opportunities’ between UBE Machinery Corporation and AMCL Machinery.

AMCL Machinery is part of Hindusthan National Glass & Industries. It manufactures vertical roller pre-grinding mills for cement plants in India and the Middle East. It also produces rubber and tyre building machines for the local tyre industry.

US: The Japan Coal Energy Center (JCOAL), GreenOre Clean Tech, Columbia University and Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to test carbon utilisation and recycling technology. GreenOre Clean Tech, using technology under license from Columbia University, will use testing space at the Integrated Test Center (ITC) near the Dry Fork Station coal-fired power station in Gillette, Wyoming. Calcium carbonate produced through CO₂ mineralisation could then potentially be used for aggregates, concrete production or in paper production. The test will be funded by JCOAL with additional support from project partners.

The State of Wyoming and JCOAL have been working together since 2016, when they signed an initial MOU committing to cooperation in coal research and development of technologies and coal trade. JCOAL operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and is supported by more than 120 member coal-related businesses, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Nippon Steel and Toshiba. Kawasaki is scheduled to test its solid sorbent capture technology at the ITC beginning in 2021.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement has set an 80% CO₂ reduction target from cement production by 2050. It also plans to reduce its emissions from cement products by 20%. It aims to do this via a variety of means including energy-saving measures, promoting co-processing, lowering the clinker factor of its cement and CO₂ capture technology. The cement producer started a pilot of a chemical absorption method on kiln exhaust gases at its Fujiwara plant in early 2019.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement says it agrees with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). It is promoting research and development business strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The cement producer is also intending to publish a long-term plan to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 2050.

US: The Netherlands Verder Group has entered into an agreement to acquire US-based Microtrac and Japan’s MicrotracBEL from Nikkiso. Verder's Scientific Division will extend its product portfolio with product lines for particle characterisation by laser diffraction, dynamic light scattering and surface analysis.

“With Microtrac and MicrotracBEL two technological leaders in particle and surface analysis are united under the roof of Verder Scientific. We look forward to welcoming the Microtrac and MicrotracBEL teams to our group. Both companies will have access to additional resources to push international expansion and extend its innovative product range”, said Jürgen Pankratz, chief executive officer (CEO) of Verder Scientific.

Microtrac is a manufacturer of instruments for particle analysis that use laser diffraction and dynamic light scattering technologies. The instruments are used both for industrial applications and material research. Microtrac has two units in the US at Montgomeryville and York in Pennsylvania

MicrotracBEL is a manufacturer of instruments for surface area and porosity analysis applying adsorption technologies. The instruments are used in research intense fields for particle characterisation. MicrotracBEL has three units in Japan based in Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya.

Microtrac and MicrotracBEL will maintain their headquarters in the US and Japan respectively and these locations will also be used to support further expansion of the Verder Group. The existing Mictrotrac and MicrotracBEL management team will continue to be in charge. No value for the transaction has been disclosed.

Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement has commissioned a new 6000t silo at its Shimizu termimal in Shizuoka. Following the upgrade, the unit now has three silos. The new silo will be used to support infrastructure projects, including expansions to the Shinkansen high-speed railway network.

Vietnam: Long Son Cement has launched the Vu Dinh 125, a 7000t cargo ship at the Hai Phong Pacific Shipyards. The vessel will be used to transport bulk cement to the central and southern domestic markets and for export to China, Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines.