Global Cement News

Ghana: Italy-based Bedeschi has been awarded a contract to supply and install cargo handling equipment for the Port of Takoradi. The project includes the supply of handling equipment and services for importing clinker and exporting bauxite and manganese. Bedeschi will supply five conveyor belts with a total length of 3km, two type 50/1400 A frame shiploaders and one eco-hopper. The shiploaders and the eco-hopper will be delivered fully erected from the supplier’s shipyard directly to the client jetty with a dedicated heavy lift vessel.

The project will adhere to ‘state of the art’ environmental standards with the use of dust collection and de-dusting system specifically designed for this application. All the conveyors will be closed, included the section where tippers and eco hoppers are in operation. Bedeschi will also provide the computerised control system too. No value for the contract or date of commissioned has been released.

India: Road Transport and MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari says that ‘huge demand’ is being created for steel and cement companies due to the rapid construction of road infrastructure. However, he also accused the industries of creating cartels and exploiting people, according to the Press Trust of India. The minister said that the government is now looking for some alternative for steel and cement. At a webinar Gadkari said that road construction has reached 37km/day day.

US: Australia-based Boral Limited says that as part of the review of its North American Fly Ash business, it is considering options such as a potential joint venture, a strategic alliance, divestment to a third-party or continued ownership. Boral has appointed advisors to support an assessment and intends to release an update by August 2021 or earlier if appropriate.

“We have conducted a detailed study of the US fly ash industry and remain confident in the long term demand dynamics for the industry, including significant incremental demand growth potential from the US Government’s proposed new infrastructure program,” said Boral’s chief executive officer and managing director Zlatko Todorcevski. “New opportunities for supply exist from harvesting landfills, imports and natural pozzolans, which we expect will more than offset the decline in fresh fly ash supply as the US transitions away from coal fired power generation.”

Chile: Inform has set up a joint venture with its Chilean partner, Workforce Solutions. Previously, Workforce Solutions previously acted as a local partner for the German-based software development and business process optimisation supplier. Inform says it will invest ‘significantly’ in the new joint venture and acquire shares, while the remaining stock will be held by former shareholders and executives of Workforce Solutions. The new company has officially been operating as Inform Software since mid-April 2021. It has its headquarters in Santiago de Chile.

“We see the Latin American countries as a strategically important growth market in which we are happy to invest,” said Andreas Meyer, chief executive officer of Inform. “As we move forward with this joint venture, we will expand personnel resources for sales, project delivery and customer support. It will enable us to enhance our service to our customers in Latin America and further expand our market position.”

The joint venture is intended to allow Inform to expand its presence in Latin America across all of its business areas including logistics, transportation, workforce management, airline and airport operations and fraud prevention. In addition, the company will continue to work with its two longstanding partners Portia LAC in Brazil and Quantomm Tech in Colombia, which will continue to assist in serving Inform’s customers. Inform’s artificial intelligence software products are already used in Latin America by companies including Volkswagen México, LATAM Airlines, Zurich Insurance Mexico, Zurich Insurance Argentina, Brazilian retail company Via Varejo and Chilean Mercedes-Benz importer Kaufmann.

Brazil: Companhia Nacional de Cimento (CNC), part of Italy-based Buzzi Unicem’s 50% subsidiary BCPAR, has acquired CRH Brasil following approval by the Brazilian antitrust authority (CADE). The deal was originally agreed for US$218m although changes in the financial positions of the acquired companies changed this. Buzzi Unicem supplied CNC with US$242m to support the deal.

CRH Brasil’s assets included three integrated cement plants and two grinding plants in the south-east of the country. The company sold approximately 2.8Mt of cement in 2020.