Global Cement News

Poland: Dyckerhoff Polska has been award the ‘Certain Cement’ quality certificate by the Polish Cement Association. The award has been given to cement producers since 2010. It recognises high standards and technical specifications across the cement production process and distribution. Winners can use the ‘Certain Cement’ on their packaging. Previous winners include Cemex Polska, Górażdże Cement, Grupa Ożarów, Lafarge Cement, Cementownia Warta, Cementownia Odra and Cementownia Kraków - Nowa Huta.

Ireland: Quinn Cement has ordered one 53t Hitachi Zx530LCH-6 Excavator supplied by TBF Thompson of Garvagh, and a 52t Cat 352LF Excavator, supplied by Finning Cat of Lisburn. Both excavators arrived at Quinn Quarries over the summer of 2018 and are being used to load the crusher for supply to Quinn Cement. They are fitted with quick hitch systems to operate a new EPIROC HB 4700 rock hammer for breaking over-sized stones. This piece of equipment has been supplied by WAC McCandless, Belfast.

Three loading shovels also arrived during the summer of 2018, supplied by Pat O’Donnell’s of Portadown. Two Volvo L220H are based in Quinn’s Swanlinbar Quarry loading crushed limestone for supply to Quinn Cement. A Volvo L180H Loading Shovel is based at Quinn’s Wash Plant for the loading of sandstone into crushers, mills or trucks, much of which is supplied to Quinn Lite and Quinn Rooftiles.

Nigeria: Two employees of Dangote Cement accused of stealing cement have changed their pleas to guilty at the Ogun State High Court. The defendants allegedly diverted nine cement trucks, bound for Togo, using fake identity cards and truck number plates, according to the Business Day newspaper. The suspects are accused of stealing 800 bags of cement with a value of over US$40,000. The case continues.

Indonesia: Semen Indonesia has signed a sales and purchase agreement worth US$917m to buy a 80.6% share of Holcim Indonesia. The acquisition gives Semen Indonesia a production capacity of 53Mt/yr making it the largest cement producer in south-east Asia, according to the Antara news agency. Prior to the purchase it had a capacity of 38.2Mt/yr and Holcim Indonesia had a capacity of 14.8Mt/yr.

Sigit Wahono, the temporary head of the Semen Indonesia Communication Department, said that the company is planning to increase its exports from 10% of total sales at present. It exported 860,060t in 2017. To the end of October in 2018 it had exported 2.3Mt, comprising 1.25Mt of cement and 1.1Mt of semi-finished cement. Its main targets are Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, with the majority of imports coming from Indonesia but 0.7Mt coming from the group’s subsidiary in Vietnam.

Algeria: Ciment Lafarge Souakri (CILAS) has started its first clinker export from the port of Annaba to West Africa. The consignment totalled 35,000t, according to the El Watan newspaper. LafargeHolcim Algeria said that the delivery from its subsidiary was part of its target to export 2Mt of surplus production by 2020. The 2.7Mt/yr CILAS plant started production in mid-2016.