Displaying items by tag: Kansas

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has announced the winners of the 2020 Safety Innovation Awards. The awards recognise ‘creative safety-enhancing projects in the cement industry’ across five categories.

Buzzi Unicem USA’s Joliet, Illinois cement terminal won the distribution award for its barge entry ladder, which reduced fall hazards associated with unloading cement from barges. Ash Grove Cement’s Durkee, Oregon cement plant won the general facility award for its burner pipes cart upgrade, which reduced safety hazards associated with moving cement kiln burner pipes. Further hazard reductions were made by Buzzi Unicem USA’s Chattanooga, Tennessee cement plant’s finish mill access platform and the Monarch Cement Company’s Humboldt, Kansas cement plant’s noise reduction upgrade, which jointly won the milling/grinding award. The pyroprocessing award went to GCC of America’s Pueblo, Colorado plant for its semi-automated clinker feeding system, while the quarry award went to Ash Grove Cement’s Louisville, Nebraska plant for its dump box hardened material extraction tool.

PCA president and chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Ireland said, “Our industry prioritises the safety of its employees above all else. We are proud of our members’ efforts to pursue excellence in safety innovation for their company and their colleagues.”

US: Mississippi Lime has announced its acquisition of the Transload Terminal in Edwardsville, Kansas from LG Everist. President and chief executive officer (CEO) William Ayers said, “We are pleased with this acquisition and looking forward to further integrating this operation into our business. Mississippi Lime has been a long-term supplier of calcium-based products in this region, serving construction projects as well as many other industries. This acquisition serves to strengthen that commitment.”

US: Monarch Cement’s net sales fell by 3% year-on-year to US$74.3m in the first half of 2018 from US$76.8m in the same period in 2017. Its net income decreased by 42% to US$4.8m from US$8.23m. The building materials company operates a cement plant at Humboldt, Kansas and a terminal at Des Moines, Iowa.

US: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved a final order settling changes for Ireland’s CRH acquisition of Ash Grove Cement following a period for public comment. The FTC issued its consent for the transaction in June 2018 on the condition that CRH sell the Three Forks cement plant in Montana to Mexico’s Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua (GCC).

Also under the settlement, because the CRH cement plant in Montana currently sells a significant amount of cement into Canada through two CRH terminals in Alberta, GCC will have the option to use those terminals for three years. CRH also has agreed to purchase, at GCC’s option, cement produced at the plant for distribution in Canada for up to three years. The FTC also forced CRH to sell other assets in Montana, Nebraska and Kansas.

US: The Federal Trade Commission has forced CRH to sell the Three Forks cement plant in Montana as part of its proposed acquisition of Ash Grove Cement. The plant and its quarry will be sold to Mexico’s Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua (GCC). Also under the settlement, because the CRH cement plant in Montana currently sells a significant amount of cement into Canada through two CRH terminals in Alberta, GCC will have the option to use those terminals for three years. CRH also has agreed to purchase, at GCC’s option, cement produced at the plant for distribution in Canada for up to three years.

The commissions ruled that the acquisition would harm competition in Montana, Nebraska and Kansas. Other divestments the Irish building materials company has agreed to include selling two sand-and-gravel plants, one sand-and-gravel pit, three limestone quarries and two hot-mix asphalt plants.

Following the agreed divestments, the FTC has issued its consent for CRH’s proposed acquisition of Ash Grove Cement. No further regulatory approvals are now outstanding for the transaction. The acquisition is expected to complete in June 2018. Ireland’s CRH agreed to buy Ash Grove Cement for US$3.5bn in mid-2017.

US: HarbisonWalker International has obtained ISO 9001:2015 certification for its Thomasville monolithic and precast refractory plant in Georgia and its South Shore refractory brick plant in Kansas. The refractory manufacturer now plans to achieve the new ISO standard at the rest of its plants by the end of 2018.