Global Cement News

UK: Breedon Group says that it has agreed to sell 14 sites to Tillicoultry Quarries for Euro13.5m. The sale includes a cement terminal and two quarries in Scotland, and 10 ready-mix plants and an asphalt plant in England. Breedon says it is making the divestment in order to meet the concerns of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) with regard to its takeover of part of Cemex UK’s ready-mix and aggregates operations. Once completed the group expects to be able to finalise its integration of the remaining assets acquired from Cemex into its existing business.

Chief executive officer (CEO) Pat Ward said, "We are very pleased with the outcome of this process and believe it is in the interests all stakeholders. It allows Breedon to realise fair value for the assets disposed of, which, together with the people employed in them, will be in good hands under new ownership by Tillicoultry Quarries."

China: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has named Anhui Conch Cement subsidiary Chongqing Conch’s integrated cement plant in Chongqing State a National Green Factory for its “resource conservation, recycling and harmonious development.”

The company says that its efforts include “implementation of precision denitrification, wet flue gas desulfurisation, belt corridor noise reduction, electricity conversion bags, rainwater collection and other environmental protection technology reforms,” as well as co-processing domestic waste from the city of Chongqing as fuel. The plant has also undergone greening, and its 30,000 new trees form a habitat for wildlife. It said that the scenery also “greatly enhances employees' sense of happiness and gain.”

India: Dalmia Bharat’s earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 15% year-on-year to US$177m in the first half of the 2021 financial year, from US$154m in the first half of the 2020 financial year. Overall sales were US$591m, down by 8% from US$644m, while cement sales fell by 5% to US$567m from US$596m. The company attributed this to “a seasonal weakness of cement prices during the second quarter especially in the eastern region” in addition to a fall in volumes by 6% to 8.46Mt from 9.02Mt in the first half.

Chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director Mahendra Singhi said, “The strength of our company’s foundation is visible in overall improvement in the operating metrics during the second quarter and during the first half of the 2021 financial year. Our team has truly been instrumental to our success and we are completely geared up for a successful integration of the new capacity and ramping up its utilisation levels. Our second quarter EBITDA of US$94.6m is the highest ever for the company.”

China: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has named Huaxin Cement’s Yangxin plant in Hubei province on its National Green Manufacturing 2020 list. The list includes industrial facilities that have taken successful measures towards sustainability and pollution reduction.

The company said that the plants have together invested US$15m in “dust collection system transformation, rain and sewage separation projects, mill sound insulation and noise reduction treatment, kiln bypass air release and other large-scale environmental protection projects, supplemented by “greening and cleaning” and tree planting.” It added that the plant processes 219,000t/yr of refuse-derived fuel (RDF), saying, “This signifies our successful transformation from a traditional cement company to a green and environmentally friendly building materials company.”

France: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge France says that it will continue to provide its regular service to customers as operations continue into a second national coronavirus lockdown in 2020. This was made possible by the government’s decision to permit the continuation of construction and industrial activities, according to the company.

It said, “The company has learned a lot since the containment last spring and is prepared to guarantee the best possible service for all of its markets, even under the specific conditions linked to the acceleration of the Covid-19 epidemic. All activities - cements, concretes and aggregates - will therefore operate normally throughout the country.” It added, “All our sites are now showing sufficient stock levels to deal calmly with the coming months.”