Displaying items by tag: fibre cement

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: 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.

India: CK Birla Group’s fibre cement roofing subsidiary HIL has agreed to acquire Fast Build Blocks for US$8.22m in a ‘slump sale.’ Fast Build Blocks produces autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks in Cuttack, Odisha. Press Trust of India News has reported that HIL is using the acquisition to establish a leadership position in the Eastern Indian market.

Denmark: Swisspearl Group has concluded an agreement to acquire fellow fibre cement board producer Cembrit. The Switzerland-based group said that it is creating the second-largest supplier of fibre cement products in Europe.

Australia: James Hardie Industries says that it has acquired land in Melbourne, Victoria, on which it plans to establish a fibre cement board plant.

Interim CEO Harold Wiens said "Adding a manufacturing site in the State of Victoria enables James Hardie to continue to meet the strong demand for our high-value building solutions in the Asia Pacific region. As we continue our strategic focus on marketing directly to the homeowner and commercialising market-led innovations, this site will help us not only meet this demand but enable the manufacturing of new innovations and existing high-value products."

Russia: Chrysotile producer Uralasbestcement has acquired a 54% stake in Belgorodasbestcement via its subsidiary Asbotsemizdelie. Belgorodasbestcement produces chrysotile or white asbestos cement products for domestic sale and export, according to the AK&M Information Agency.

Australia: James Hardie’s consolidated net sales increased by 12% year-on-year in the 2021 financial year to US$2.91bn from US$2.61bn in the 2020 financial year. Its adjusted earnings before interest, depreciation and taxation (EBIT) rose by 29% US$629m from US$487m. The producer recorded increased fibre cement sales in North America, by 12% to US$2.04bn from US$1.82bn, and in Asia Pacific, by 3% to US$496m from US$479m. The group’s Europe building products division’s sales rose by 5% to US$273m from US$261m.

Chief executive Jack Truong said, “I am proud of our globally integrated team’s ability to close out the fiscal year with a fourth quarter of exceptionally strong results. We have now delivered eight consecutive quarters of consistent profitable growth, including record financial results each of the past three quarters. Our performance in fiscal year 2021 marked a significant step change across multiple facets of our global company that allowed us to deliver this consistent profitable growth on an expanding global scale. Over the past 12 months, we were able to accelerate our strategy: firstly to unlock capacity and increase efficiency in our global manufacturing network through LEAN initiatives, and secondly to better integrate our supply chain with our customers, which collectively drove consistent market share gains in all three regions.”

Australia: James Hardie recorded net sales of US$2.10bn in the first nine months of its 2021 financial year, up by 9% year-on-year from US$1.93bn in the first nine months of its 2020 financial year. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxation rose by 25% to US$456m from US$366m. Sales and earnings increased in all three regions in which the company operates. In Australia and New Zealand, it reduced costs by consolidating fibre cement production at its two Australian plants.

Chief executive officer Jack Truong said, “I am pleased with these record results, underpinned by excellent execution of our business transformation that we began in 2019, combined with increasing demand for our premium-quality James Hardie brand products and solutions. The transformation we undertook to unlock capacity and increase efficiency in our global manufacturing network through lean initiatives and to better integrate our supply chain with our customers continues to deliver consistent market share gains and the ability to serve our customers seamlessly around the world. We are firmly on track with our investments in growth to broaden our portfolio with industry-leading innovations that enhance aesthetic value for homeowners. Our transformation initiatives will enable us to expand our market opportunity and allow us to continue to deliver strong performance.”

US: Mexico-based Elementia has appointed Tim Kuebler as the leader of Elementia USA. He was already the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company’s cement business in the US and the enlarged role includes responsibility for Allura, the group’s local fibre cement business. Kuebler became the CEO of Elementia’s US-based cement business, Giant Cement, in late 2017. Prior to this he spent most of his 35-year career working at first for Lehigh Cement and then Titan America in locations across the US.