Global Cement News

Paraguay: Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) says that it will not increase its cement prices despite the high cost of petcoke. The state-owned producer reports that both increasing international prices for the fuel and logistical challenges, such as varying river water levels, have raised overall prices. It added that stopping production would cause negative impacts to both the construction sector and the local economy.

Australia: James Hardie Industries has published its 2021 Sustainability Report, entitled Building Sustainable Communities. The report outlines the group’s sustainable future, commitments and progress to date in four key areas, namely Communities, Environment, Innovation and Zero Harm. The framework uses measurable goals, such as a 40% greenhouse gas reduction between 2019 and 2030, a 5% increase in gender diversity in management positions between 2020 and 2024 and an increase in the proportion of revenues covered by environmental product declarations to 80% from 26% in the 2021 financial year. Formalised in the 2021 financial year, the sustainability strategy is integrated with James Hardie’s global strategy for value creation and operational performance.

Chief executive officer Jack Truong said “Our commitment to building better, more sustainable communities starts by building better homes, with the homebuilding materials of the future.” He added “Our commitment to a sustainable future extends to our James Hardie community, the local communities in which we operate and across the largest shared community of all, our global ecosystem. At James Hardie, we are transforming the way the world builds by offering better, safer and more sustainable products.”

Belgium: Magotteaux says that its production plants at Vaux-sous-Chèvremont and Trooz near Liege were ‘severely hit’ by flooding in mid-July 2021. The industrial equipment and services supplier is currently assessing the extent of the damage but production is expected to be affected. It reported that all of its staff were safe following the incident.

Germany: Flexco Europe has launched the T-Type secondary belt cleaner. The supplier says that the cleaner is able to remove moist, sticky, dry or abrasive residues from belts, even without a precleaner. It is equipped with tungsten carbide blades which rotate by up to 15°, to provide ‘perfect’ adaptation to the belt surface. Cleaning blades with C-Tips are provided for mechanical connectors. Segmented polyurethane (PUR) vibration dampers ensure even wear, while thin carbide blades achieve very good performance in combination with the robust tensioning system. The blades also have an offset for streak-free cleaning. The new secondary cleaner is available for belt widths of 400mm - 1600 mm and for belt speed of op to 4m/s. Little space is required for installation, so it can fit neatly into almost all conveyor belt structures.

Nigeria: Madugu Cement plant to build a 5Mt/yr cement plant at Kembu in Gombe state. The producer has awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the project to China-based Sinoma International Engineering Company. Construction will consist of two phases, each of which will establish a production line of 2.5Mt/yr capacity. The Nigerian Tribune newspaper has reported that, when commissioned, the plant will be the second in Gombe state. The state has extensive gypsum reserves and a surplus of coal and hydroelectric power.