Global Cement News

South Africa: PPC and China’s Sinoma Construction have successfully ignited the kiln at the Slurry Kiln 9 project in North West province. The new clinker production line will now undergo a three-month test period, according to the China Economic Daily newspaper. Once testing is finished, the 3300t/day line will be transferred to PPC to start commissioning.

Tunisia: Carthage Cement says that production has restarted at its Djebel Ressas plant. NLSupervision, a subsidiary of Denmark’s FLSmidth that holds a contact to operate the plant, resumed activity on 14 April 2018. Carthage Cement has also started marketing the cement locally once again. Production at the unit stopped in early April 2018 following a dispute between NLSupervision and staff. The company’s owners put the plant on sale in late 2017.

US: A US$2.3m air pollution settlement in 2006 from the Holcim US Midlothian cement plant in Texas has ended. The Sue Pope Pollution Reduction Fund has made its last donation of about US$75,000 to the Midlothian school district’s special needs programs, according to the Dallas Morning News newspaper. The final payment came from interest remaining from the original settlement between Holcim US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Downwinders at Risk environmental group. As part of the deal Downwinders at Risk agreed to stop fighting Holcim’s plans to expand cement production at the site in return for US$2.25m funding towards local projects and an understanding that the cement plant would upgrade its emission filters.

UAE: Union Cement plans to de-list its shares from the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and convert the company into a private joint stock company, according to the Gulf News newspaper. India’s Shree Cement agreed to buy Union Cement for US$305m in January 2018 subject to regulatory approval. Union Cement operates a cement plant Ras Al- Khaimah.

Ireland/UK: Breedon Group has acquired Lagan Group for Euro527m. The deal will be financed from a new loan, extended credit and an equity placing. The purchase will see Breedon Group enter the Irish market as it takes control Lagan’s production assets including a cement plant in Kinnegad, nine active quarries, 13 asphalt plants and nine ready-mixed concrete plants. The deal will complete on 20 April 2018.

“Lagan represents a unique opportunity to enter a growing market with immediate scale and excellent opportunities for expansion. It significantly strengthens our cement offer, adds to our mineral and downstream resources, brings us a bitumen import/export business and adds real weight to our contract surfacing operations,” said Paul Ward, Breedon’s chief executive.

Following the acquisition of Lagan, Breedon Group will operate two cement plants, around 70 quarries, 40 asphalt plants, 200 ready-mixed concrete and mortar plants, nine concrete and clay products plants, four contract surfacing businesses, six terminals and two slate production facilities. The group will also employ nearly 3000 people. It says its strategy is to continue growing organically and through the acquisition of businesses in the heavyside construction materials market.