Global Cement News

Belarus: 0.2Mt/yr or 10% of Belarus’ cement exports will be available for purchase via the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) from the start of 2019. The country hopes to increase its range of target markets as much as possible by using the commodity exchange, according to the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA). Local cement companies hope to increase sales via the commodity exchange if it is a success

A test batch of cement was sold via BUCE in September 2018. Six buyers from Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic states took part in the trading session and submitted bids for buying a total of 4000t of Ordinary Portland Cement. The trading session lasted for slightly more than one hour. A Lithuanian company bought 256t of cement as a result.

Ghana: The Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana (CMAG) has appealed to the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to investigate the quality of Chinese cement imports. In a letter of the GSA George Dawson-Ahmoah cited two companies in Tema and Ejisu that allegedly sell cement products of ‘questionable’ quality, according to the Business and Financial Times newspaper. He also posited that samples of cement from these companies were ‘alarming’ and that this explained why their prices were ‘ridiculously’ low.

CMAG consists of Ghacem Limited, Diamond Cement group, CIMAF Ghana and CBI Ghana Limited. However, when asked by the local media why Chinese companies supplying Ghana were not part of the association, Dawson-Ahmoah said that they had been invited.

Senegal: The Ministry of Commerce has fixed a maximum price of cement to protect consumers. The ministry said it had made the decision following exports of a rise of the price of cement in early October 2018, according to the L'Agence de Presse Sénégalaise. The minister said that he invited all cement plant in the country to comply with the new regulations.

Canada: Environmental groups including Nature Canada, Ontario Nature, Nature Quebec and the VanKleek Hill and District Nature Society have called on Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna to start a review of the proposed Colacem Canada L’Orignal cement plant in Ontario. The groups have received a response from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) saying that their concerns had been acknowledged and that it was providing advice to the minister, according to the National Observer. Colacem hopes to build a 3000t/day plant next to a limestone quarry it already operates.

Europe: US-based company GCP Applied Technologies has received a European patent for increasing the efficiency of cement grinding by using sustainable raw materials. The grinding aids and quality improvers allow the use of bio-derived glycerol and reduce the use and the impact of oil-derived chemicals. The new Opteva and Tavero brand cement additives enable cement producers to reduce the energy consumption and the CO₂ emissions associated with cement production, with a reduced use, or no use at all, of oil-derived chemicals.

European Patent No. EP 1 728 771 B1 has been granted and registered into 17 European countries. The patent addresses methods for increasing the efficiency of cement and mineral grinding by using sustainable raw materials.

The patent relates to methods for improving the efficiency of grinding materials such as clinker and limestone, using glycerol derived from biofuel production, in combination with various grinding additives. GCP products can help to reduce the carbon footprint of cement and concrete. Grinding aids and quality improvers make cement manufacturing more efficient, while concrete admixtures can reduce the amount of cement needed to achieve a given strength specification.