Global Cement News

Pakistan: Bestway Cement has promoted its environmental credentials following the Supreme Court’s mandated investigation into water usage by cement companies near the Katas Raj Temples in 2018. The cement producer says that all of its cement plants are ISO 14001:2004 Environment Management Systems certified. Specifically on the issue of water conservation, it has installed air-cooled condenser systems at two of its plants at Chakwal and Kallar Kahar respectively and it has built rain-harvesting ponds. In total the company has spent around US$14m on water conservation measures. Altogether it says that it has achieved 80% and 88% reductions in consumption of ground water for industrial use, respectively, at the two plants.

Other environmental measures the company has made include installing waste heat recovery (WHR) units at all four of its cement plants. Its total WHR capacity is 45.5MW giving it 28% of its total power needs. The company is recognised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under its Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Program for its initiative to reduce carbon emissions/footprint. It has also implemented tree plantation at its plants and surrounding areas, it uses drip irrigation and sewerage waste management and its head office in Islamabad has been certified as a Green Office by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Pakistan: Two employees of DG Khan Cement have been killed in a gun attack. A third worker was seriously injured in the incident, according to the Dawn newspaper. Police report that unidentified motorcyclists in Dera Ghazi Khan opened fire on a company security van whilst it was transporting workers to a nearby plant. The victims died at the DG Khan Medical College.

Ireland: Irish Cement has been fined Euro4000 for dust emissions in December 2017. The subsidiary of CRH pleaded guilty at Limerick District Court to breaking the terms of the industrial licence at its plant in Limerick in early December 2017, according to the Irish Times newspaper. The cement producer reportedly unsuccessfully attempted to clear a build-up of dust in the plant’s kiln. A ‘significant’ amount of dust polluted the local neighbourhood subsequently leading to 21 complaints to the Environment Protection Agency. The cement producer was fined previously in mid-2018 for dust emissions occurred in April and May 2017.

Italy: Bedeschi has signed a contract to supply a clinker storage system to Cementeria Costantinopoli in Barile. The order includes a type STK P bridge stacker and a type BEL C bridge reclaimer. The storage system consists of: a belt conveyor (15m x 1m); a belt conveyor (60m x 1m); a STK P 25/1000 bridge stacker; and a BEL C 160/21 bridge reclaimer. The system will have a stacking capacity of 100t/hr and a reclaiming capacity of 130t/hr.

Oman: The board of directors of Oman Cement has agreed to move ahead with the construction of an integrated cement plant at Duqum. The unit will have a clinker production capacity of 5000t/day and an expected investment of US$212m. The project is being financed by the company and its shareholders. Previously the project was linked to Raysut Cement as a joint venture run under the Al Wusta Cement brand.