Global Cement News

Canada: St Marys Cement, part of Brazil-based Votoronatim Cimentos, has installed a US$19.9m wet scrubber at its Bowmanville cement plant in Ontario. The installation will reduce the plant’s sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions by 90%. The producer says it is the first wet scrubber installed at a cement plant in Canada.

Operations Manager Jim Storey said “This investment in technology to improve the plant’s environmental performance has proven to be effective in removing SO₂ produced in the cement manufacturing process. We are also pleased that the scrubber was assembled on-site and installed by local Ontario contractors and crews during our annual scheduled plant shutdown.”

India: Ambuja Cement has successfully sent two cement shipments to their destinations using biofuel-powered ships. Two of the company’s cement carriers delivered cement in India while running using biofuel derived from soya extract.

The biodiesel blend (B20) was in compliance with International Maritime Organisation sulphur content requirements and met International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) levels in terms of flash point requirements. No increase of NOx was observed with biodiesel blend as compared to low sulphur high-speed diesel (LSHSD), rather the emission level was found to be less. The reduction in CO₂ was found to be around 7% and the total life cycle reduction of CO₂ by life cycle analysis was measured to be around 21%, as the biodiesel from soya extract had a reduction of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 70%.

Following the successful initiative, the Directorate General of Shipping has approved biofuels trials for the rest of Ambuja Cement’s fleet, which are mainly deployed on the Indian coastal route.

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has received the 2021 Energy Star Partner of the Year award from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy. It is the second year in a row the association has been recognised in this way. Each year, the Energy Star program recognises a group of businesses and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy achievements.

“The PCA and its members are proud to be recognised for continuously improving energy efficiency to reduce emissions,” said PCA President and chief executive officer Michael Ireland. “The cement and concrete industry is leading the way towards a more sustainable future as PCA and its members are developing an industry roadmap across the entire value chain to reach carbon neutrality by 2050."

In addition to PCA’s Partner of the Year recognition, two PCA member companies, CalPortland and Cemex USA, earned corporate Partner of the Year awards and 13 US cement plants earned Energy Star certification for superior energy performance in 2020.

Germany: Beumer has enlarged its stake in logistics software provider Codept. The company’s product offers warehouse management and fulfilment throughout Europe. The start-up company was founded with the support from the Berlin-based, autonomous company builder Beam, a spin-off of Beumer Group

Managing Director Felix Ostwald said "We are happy to seal a long-term partnership with Beumer. During the past two years we have cooperated successfully and are therefore glad to intensify this cooperation."

Kazakhstan: Sharcem, part of Singapore-based International Cement Group (ICG), plans to acquire US$16.3m-worth of cement assets in Kazakhstan. The Business Times newspaper has reported that the sellers are Kazakhcement and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan. Kazakhcement currently operates the 1.0Mt/yr Shar plant in Charsk, East Kazakhstan. ICG said that the opportunity presented an ‘attractive’ foothold in the growing Central Asian market. The acquisition is scheduled for completion by 31 May 2021 once the conditions of the sales and purchase agreement are finalised.