Displaying items by tag: US
Eagle Materials to appoint Mike Nicolais as chairman
24 April 2019US: Eagle Materials is planning to appoint board vice-chairman Mike Nicolais as chairman. He will succeed Rick Stewart, who will continue working for the company as a director.
Nicolais currently serves as vice chairman at Highlander Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm. From 2001 - 2003, he served as a partner in the private investment firm of Olivhan Investments, followed by being named managing director at Stephens. Previously, he spent 14 years in the investment banking division of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities, and was managing director and co-head of the company’s Dallas office.
Mexico: Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua’s (GCC) sales fell in the first quarter of 2019 due to lower cement and concrete volumes in the US. Sales volumes rose in Mexico and the group described a ‘favourable pricing environment’ in both markets. Its net sales dropped by 1.9% year-on-year to US$163m from US$167m. Cement sales volumes fell by 7.3% in the US but they rose by 3.8% in Mexico. Earnings before interest, taxation, deprecation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 16% to US$38.3m from US$45.6m.
“The US operations slowed, with severe inclement weather continuing into the first quarter. However, there is a strong backlog and we are picking up the pace as the weather conditions improve,” said Enrique Escalante, GCC’s chief executive officer (CEO). He added that Chihuahua in Mexico continued to perform well driven by mining shipments, industrial maquiladora plants and warehouse construction and middle-income housing starts.
Eagle Materials starts business portfolio review
23 April 2019US: Eagle Materials are started a strategic review of its portfolio of businesses including heavy materials, light materials, and oil and gas proppants. It says it commissioned the review, “…following consultation and input from the company's largest shareholders.” During the process it will consider options, including divesting businesses.
US: Lehigh Cement and Argos USA have agreed to pay a US$1.5m fine for alleged Clean Air Act violations at the Martinsburg cement plant in West Virginia. Argos has owned the plant since December 2016 and Lehigh Cement was the previous owner. The violations occurred from 2013 to 2016. Neither Lehigh Cement nor Argos USA admitted liability for the alleged violations as part of the settlement.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cited the companies for various Clean Air Act violations based on responses to EPA information requests and data collected and reported under the plant’s permit. These included exceeding particulate matter emissions, non-compliance with opacity testing, failing to comply with requirements for operating a kiln with dioxin/furan emission limits, failing to perform required stack testing on a kiln’s exhaust in a timely manner and other violations.
US: Illinois State University has been awarded a US$15,000 grant by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to research the use of recycled glass as a substitute for Ordinary Portland Cement and fly ash in controlled low-strength material (CLSM). CLSM, also called flowable fill, is a cement-based construction material commonly used for backfilling trenches or other excavations, as well as soil-stabilisation. It can be produced at any ready-mix concrete plant by mixing cement, fly ash, sand and water in the correct proportions.
Project lead Pranshoo Solanki said that preliminary results are promising, and show that required flow and strength can be met by replacing cement and fly ash with recycled glass powder.
The EPA grant is for phase one of the recycled glass project for research at the laboratory scale. Funding for phase two will then be sought to test the product in real-world trials.
Sanctions drive Iranian cement into Afghanistan
18 April 2019Iran/Afghanistan: Exports of cement from Iran to Afghanistan have increased following the resumption of US-led sanctions on Iran. Speaking on Afghanistan’s Tolo News TV, Janagha Navid, the spokesman of Afghanistan's Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said that Afghanistan imports 80,000t/yr of cement, while stressing that the country’s domestic cement production capacity could increase to 420,000t/yr.
Navid added that cement imports from Pakistan had decreased, while imports from Iran had risen, due to depreciation of the Iranian Rial against foreign currencies. He further highlighted that Afghan customers prefer Iranian cement over Pakistani cement, citing quality considerations. In 2018, Iran exported US$127m-worth of cement to Afghanistan, broadly similar to imports from Pakistan, which came to US$132m.
US: US Concrete has appointed Ronnie Pruitt as its president and chief operating officer. Pruitt will continue to report to chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) William J Sandbrook and, in this expanded role, will take over many corporate functions that support the company's operational business units.
Pruitt, aged 48 years, has been with US Concrete since 2015 and has over 25 years of industry experience. Prior to joining US Concrete, he served as Vice President of Martin Marietta Materials and as Vice President of Cement Production and Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Texas Industries (TXI).
Cemex USA awarded 2019 Energy Star Partner of the Year
16 April 2019US: Cemex USA has been awarded the 2019 Energy Star Partner of the Year by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) for its efforts in energy management. It was presented with the award by the EPA and the US Department of Energy at a ceremony in Washington, DC.
“At Cemex, sustainability is key to our vision of building a better future, embedded in our core business strategy and day-to-day operations,” said Cemex USA President Ignacio Madridejos. “We strive to conserve energy where possible with energy management initiatives, and many of our operations have received repeated recognition for their efforts. Cemex is also incorporating the use of more alternative fuels.”
Cemex Colombia strikes deal to start Maceo cement plant
15 April 2019Colombia: Cemex Colombia has reached a deal with the Attorney General allowing it to operate its Maceo cement plant in Antioquia. Under the terms of the government-brokered agreement Cemex will lease the land from CI Calizas y Minerales for around US$15,000/yr, according to the El Espectador newspaper. The lease has a duration of 21 years and this can be extended by another 10 years.
In 2016 Cemex fired several senior staff members in relation to the Maceo project and its subsidiary’s chief executive resigned. This followed an internal audit and investigation into payments worth around US$20.5m made to a non-governmental third party in connection with the acquisition of the land, mining rights and benefits of the tax free zone for the project. The US Department of Justice is also investigating the project.
US: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Energy Star certification to Buzzi Unicem USA’s plants at Chattanooga in Tennessee, Festus in Missouri, Maryneal in Texas and San Antonio in Texas. This certification is awarded to a facility for superior energy performance in comparison to similar plants. This marks the 10th consecutive year that the Chattanooga, Festus and Maryneal plants have received certification and the fifth consecutive year for the San Antonio plant.