Displaying items by tag: meeting

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) hosted a one-day session in mid-June 2023 aimed at establishing guidelines for the definition of 'low carbon' cement and concrete. The association called the session a 'Critical first step' towards ensuring clarity for stakeholders.

The PCA said "Low carbon is increasingly defined in the eye of the beholder, with little or no regard to either upstream and downstream impacts or short-term and long-term strength, durability and resilience concerns."

Bolivia: Itacamba Cemento declared a general assembly of bondholders on 22 May 2023 void after bondholders failed to attend in sufficient numbers for the meeting to proceed. The company said that there was insufficient quorum in accordance with the provisions of its bond issuance programme, and that the way forward would be to call a new assembly.

This story was amended on 26 May 2023, after a previous version erroneously stated that the bond issuance had been declared void - whereas it was the inquorate meetings that were declared void. Global Cement apologises for this error.

US: 100 Workers at Continental Cement's Hannibal cement plant in Missouri are on strike against alleged unfair labour practices. IndustriALL Global Union has accused the producer of restricting employees' say in schedules, overtime and cross training requirements at the plant, as well as of withholding information necessary for bargaining. The union additionally alleged that the company was discriminatory in its termination of contracts. The workers have continued to work amid on-going contract renegotiations following the expiry of a collective agreement between them and the producer in May 2022.

IndustriALL Global Union said "Continental Cement’s actions have left workers no other options but to make their voices heard by striking against unfair labour practices. We are determined to fight for the fair contract. It's time for Continental Cement to follow the law and negotiate in good faith for a fair contract.”

India: The state government of Himachal Pradesh says that it will take 'legal action' against Adani Group should it fail to reopen its Darlaghat and Gagal cement plants. The Times of India newspaper has reported that measures may include cancellation of the cement producer's relevant land leases. Out-of-work truck drivers agreed to cancel a state-wide road blockade in protest against the closures after the government promised a 'resolution' on 4 February 2022. It now plans to hold talks with Adani Group, in which it will relay truck drivers' offer of an 11% reduction in per-kilometre freight rates to US$0.12/t from US$0.14/t.

Himachal Pradesh industries minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said that the state government is empowered to take drastic measures in defence of Himachali people's interests.

Geological Survey of India (GSI) officials are reportedly investigating alleged illegal mining at the sites of the Darlaghat and Gagal cement plants.

India: Representatives of Adani Group and cement truck drivers' unions attended talks held by the Himachal Pradesh state government, after the group closed two cement plants in the state, claiming that their costs were prohibitively high. The government appointed Himachal Consultancy Organisation to guide truck unions in reaching an agreement on new freight rates. Adani Group chair Gautam Adani said that transport costs per tonne of cement were US$1.30/km in upland areas and US$0.66/km in lowland areas. The state government previously raised value added tax (VAT) rates on diesel by 68% to US$0.09/l, resulting in total diesel costs of US$1.05/l.

India: Jaypee Power Ventures' board of directors met on 12 December 2022 to discuss the possible sale of the company's Nigrie grinding plant in Madhya Pradesh. Press Trust of India News has reported that parent company Jaiprakash Jaypee Group's audit committee recommended the sale under proposed measures to reduce the group's debt. The producer had been in talks with Adani Group about the possible sale of its cement business, along with other non-core assets, for US$606m in October 2022.

Jaypee Power Ventures operates 4Mt/yr-worth of cement capacity, 40% of Jaypee Group's total 10Mt/yr.

Cuba/Guyana: Guyanese government officials attended a meeting with representatives of Cuba-based Cementos Cienfuegos on 25 November 2022. The Guyana Chronicle newspaper has reported that the Cuban government advised the Guyanese officials of the feasibility of importing Cuban building materials, including cement, into Guyana.

US: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) hosted chief executive officers (CEO)from across the global cement industry at its CEO Gathering in Atlanta, Georgia, on 9 June 2022. The event explored the best ways for the sector to progress towards net zero CO₂ emissions. Speakers included: UN special advisor on climate Selwin Hart, US Department of Energy assistant secretary for fossil energy and carbon management in the Brad Crabtree, architecture firm Gensler CEO Diane Hoskins, Chair of Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) executive chair Bjorn Otto and climate economist Gernot Wagner.

GCCA CEO Thomas Guillot said “To achieve net zero and enable the delivery of the sustainable built environment of the future, there needs to be ongoing engagement and deeper collaboration between our industry and government in the years ahead. Targeted government policy will be vital to removing barriers and to expediting our industry’s decarbonisation plans.”

Canada: Workers at St Mary’s Cement’s Port-Daniel-Gascons cement plant have voted in favour of taking strike action in a dispute over matters including wages and pensions. Local press has reported that workers and the company, a subsidiary of Brazil-based Votorantim Cimentos, will sit in negotiations on 13 and 14 June 2022. Employees previously rejected a ‘final and comprehensive’ offer from the company earlier in May 2022.

India: The Indian government has established a special panel to examine an array of possible measures to lower high cement prices in parts of the country. The Hindu newspaper has reported that the panel will consider plans, including increasing cement shipping from South Indian plants currently operating under capacity to areas affected by shortages. The national government is in talks with the South India Cement Manufacturers' Association (SICMA) about the possibility of increasing members' cement sales in future.