Displaying items by tag: UK

Ireland: UK-based Breedon Group has announced the suspension of operations at its 0.7Mt/yr integrated Kinnegad plant in County Westmeath and all other sites in Ireland. Breedon Group guaranteed 100% to pay to all Irish and UK staff to 30 April 2020.

Two non-executive directors of Breedon Group, Susie Farnon and Peter Cornell, have taken retirement.

UK: Breedon Group has suspended production at all UK sites except operations that ‘serve critical supply needs,’ such as those of the Hope, Derbyshire, cement plant. The group’s Ireland operations also continue, ‘pending further guidance from the Irish government.’

Breedon Group says that it has taken the temporary measures ‘to ensure the safety and wellbeing of colleagues, subcontractors, customers and communities.’

Poland: Denmark-based chain specialist ScanChain has announced that it will be producing and distributing chains from a new facility located in Poznan in the province of Greater Poland. The company says it has ended its partnership with a partial ownership by UK-based John King Chains.

Scan Chain said “Over the past three years we have seen a great growth in new markets. We are pleased that both ScanChain and John King Chains wish to establish a strong link going forward.”

UK: Mineral Products Association (MPA) chief executive Nigel Jackson has written to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, welcoming his deferment of value added tax (VAT) and urging the extension of this deferment to Employer National Insurance (ENI), Corporation Tax and Business Rates. “What business needs now are fast and simple solutions that enable them to keep cash in their businesses and their employees in their jobs,” said Jackson. “Fixed costs are very high. Once the recovery starts the pent-up demand will be immense.”

World: Cement producers are mobilising human and material resources and implementing strategies to keep operations going with the minimum possible impact from the coronavirus. Germany-based HeidelbergCement subsidiary Lehigh Hanson has closed a minority of its facilities and prepared a contingency plan for further reduced operations ‘if conditions worsen.’ Brazil-based Votorantim Cimentos has established a Special Coronavirus Crisis Management Commission to aid communications and emergency response implementation across its facilities. UK-based Quinn has suspended all non-essential travel for employees.

All: Global Cement will continue to publish both Global Cement Magazine and Global Cement Weekly throughout the current coronavirus outbreak. Global Cement organises a number of cement-related conferences, and those in the remainder of the first half of the year have already been postponed to provide certainty for all participants. Each event (Global GypSupply, Global Slag and Global CemProcess) will instead take place as a virtual conference, with live Q&As and cyber-networking. Please see the respective event website for details.

Global Cement will continue to supply its customers with up-to-date and accurate information, the means to promote their businesses and the forum to make valuable business contacts. For commercial opportunities, please contact Paul Brown, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

UK: Parliament has voted to grant Her Majesty's Treasury powers to implement a UK emissions trading scheme (ETS) in line with the Climate Change Act (2008). Accountancy Daily News has reported that the ETS will be linked to the EU ETS ‘if such is suited to both sides’ interests,’ but, if not, will be subject to an alternative pricing mechanism. The Treasury said that “in a standalone UK ETS, additional market stability mechanisms can be implemented.”

UK: Lafarge Cement has appointed Stuart Hutchings as the new plant manager of its Cauldon integrated cement plant in Staffordshire. He holds over 20 years of experience in the cement industry and is a qualified chemical engineer with a master’s degree in business.

The plant produces around 1Mt/yr of cement and employs around 150 staff. LafargeHolcim’s local subsidiary Aggregate Industries is currently planning a potential investment project to develop an additional chloride bypass and a new pre-processing plant for the storage of solid and liquid alternative fuels at the plant.

UK: The Materials Handling Engineers Association (MHEA) has appointed James Bullock as its vice-president. He has been a member of the MHEA’s executive committee for several years. He succeeds Linda White, who has held the post since late 2019. White is taking the post of secretariat from 1 March 2020.

Netherlands: Royal Cement Benelux, part of Royal El Minya Cement and the Sesco Group, has acquired a new 18,500m² facility in the port of Schiedam near Rotterdam. The new facility, which includes 13,500m2 combined office, storage and operating space will be the company’s second European location. Available on the premises is 160 M1 Quay, which can receive ships up to 15,000dwt.

“The opening of Royal Cement Benelux’s new Schiedam facility is an important step towards the ambition to develop the European market,” said Martin Bakker, general manager of Royal Cement Benelux. The company intends to target its white cement products from the terminal to Germany by barge, to several locations in Belgium and the Netherlands by inland rivers and to the UK by sea.

The new location is intended to be first of several expansions for the company in 2020. Royal Cement Benelux says it wants to take former business in Western Europe from CBR since it stopped white cement production. The group is also opening an Italian terminal.