Displaying items by tag: cement boards

Australia: James Hardie has published its Sustainability Report 2023, recording its progress towards achieving its sustainability goals up to the end of the 2023 financial year on 31 March 2023. The producer's Scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions dropped by 26% compared to 2019 levels, against a new target of a 42% drop by 2030. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) covered 94% of its sales, ahead of a target for the year of 80%. The company launched a new goal to include 30% minority-identified people in its US management.

Chief sustainability officer and vice president, environmental social and governance, Jill Kolling said “Sustainability is a continuous journey, but a necessary one to drive value for our stakeholders, while delivering on our ambition to be a more resilient company. From our boardroom to our manufacturing plants, we are giving sustainability a place at the table to drive meaningful impact and instill accountability across all facets of our organisation.”

Malaysia: Saint-Gobain has signed a definitive agreement to acquire cement boards producer Hume Cemboard Industries. The France-based group said that the company will complement its existing lightweight product offering in Malaysia. Saint-Gobain expects to complete the deal before 1 October 2023.

US: American Fiber Cement Corporation (AFCC) has announced a rebrand to American Fiber Cement. Besides the name change, the producer's new branding will consist of a new logo and brand position, and a website redesign. Additionally, the company's range of former Cembrit brand fibre cement products will be rebranded to include the AFC name.

General manager Donna Anglada said "We are excited to reveal our new branding, but we also want to ensure that our distributors, reps and customers understand that, while the names are changing, we will continue to sell Patina, Patina Inline, Patina Rough, Deco, Solid, Cover and Transparent."

Australia: James Hardie's sales were US$3.77bn during the 2023 financial year, up by 4% year-on-year from 2022 financial year levels. Its flagship North America fibre cement segment increased its sales by 9% to US$2.79bn, its Asia Pacific fibre cement segment increased its sales by 1% to US$527m and its Europe Building Products segment increased its sales by 3% to US$470m.

James Hardie's CEO, Aaron Erter, said “We delivered full-year adjusted net income and operating cash flows of US$606m and US$608m respectively. I am pleased with how the team adjusted during the 2023 financial year to prepare the company to thrive through this cycle. This is reflected in our strong fourth quarter results, including all three regions delivering significant earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin improvement sequentially in the fourth quarter.”

Looking forward to the first quarter of the 2024 financial year, James Hardie forecast adjusted net income growth of between -6% and +6.9%, to US$145 - 165m, throughout the quarter.

Chile: Knauf Aquapanel has commissioned its new 7Mm²/yr Puente Alto cement board plant in Santiago. The company invested US$17m in the construction of the plant. The facility will supply its cement boards to the local market, as well as for export to Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

Montenegro: UK-based private equity firm Chayton Capital has agreed to fund the feasibility study for the establishment of a joint public/private building materials production complex at the site of the Plejevlja energy hub. The complex will include a cement plant and cement bonded particle boards plant. Emerging Market Watch News has reported that the firm will also be involved in the modernisation of a coal-fired power plant at the site. The total budget for the project is Euro700m.

Austria: Fibre cement products company Eternit Österreich will rebrand as Swisspearl Österreich, effective from 1 April 2023. The company has been a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Swisspearl Group since 2009.

India: NCL Industries produced 713,000t of cement in October – December 2022, the third quarter of the 2023 financial year. The figure corresponds to a rise of 27% year-on-year from 561,000t in the corresponding quarter of the 2022 financial year. NCL Industries produced 19,300t of cement boards throughout the quarter, down by 3% year-on-year from 19,900t.

India: Visaka Industries plans to invest US$15.7m in the construction of a new cement boards plant in West Midnapore, West Bengal. United News of India has reported that the plant will produce the company's Vnext fibre cement board product. When commissioned in August 2023, it will increase Visaka Industries' Vnext boards production capacity to 72,000t/yr. The producer will equip the plant with an ATUM Solar Roof integrated solar power unit, eliminating 840,000t/yr of Scope 2 CO₂ emissions. Visaka Industries plans to employ 500 people at the plant, and additionally support its host community in Shalbani Dakhinshole through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

US: Australia-based James Hardie plans to establish a 92,900m²/yr cement board plant in Crystal City, Missouri. The producer expects the plant to create 240 new jobs.