Global Cement News

Rwanda: Cimerwa says it has received approval to list its shares on the Rwanda Stock Exchange. The move is part of the strategy by the government to sell its stake in the cement producer, according to the New Times newspaper. The government and its related shareholders own a 49% stake in the subsidiary of South Africa-based PPC.

Company chairman Regis Rugemanshuro said that the company had decided to continue with its plans despite the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement has been made while Cimerwa is supplying cement to a large government tender to build new schools. The cement producer added that, “Supply to this project is progressing smoothly with the company’s production currently being robust at close to design capacity.”

Chad: Idriss Déby, the president of Chad, has asked the Société Nationale de Ciment du Tchad (SONACIM) to restart production following reports of cement shortages and price rises. He made the announcement following a meeting with representatives of the local industry, according to the Journal du Tchad. SONACIM’s plant at Baore has reportedly been not operating recently due to long-running issues since its opening in 2012.

Egypt: Austria-based Mondi Group subsidiary Mondi Paper Bags has announced its acquisition of two cement bag plants, the Helwan Cement bag plant and InterCement bag plant, with a combined capacity of 60m – 80m bags/yr. As a result, Mondi Paper Bags will now meet the bagging needs of both cement producers.

Chief executive officer (CEO) Claudio Fedalto said, “These collaborations will offer Helwan and InterCement access to our latest innovations, industry expertise and our strong plant network and customer service in the Middle East. Thanks to Mondi’s vertical integration, our partners will further benefit from our high quality kraft paper.”

Helwan Cement owner Suez Cement managing director Jose Maria Magrina said, “We are delighted to continue our relationship with a reputable and reliable global paper bags supplier like Mondi, while we can focus on our core operations, the production of grey cement and ready-mix.” InterCement subsidiary Amreyah Cement legal and administration director Paulo Dall’Aqua added, “Building sustainable partnerships is InterCement’s tagline, and it is exactly what this deal represents.”

Singapore: Jurong Port has ordered three Siwertell ship unloaders from Bruks Siwertell to handle cement imports. The port’s cement terminal already has three Siwertell ship unloaders that have been used for over 20 years. Two of these will be replaced as part of the upgrade project.

The three new ST 490-M screw-type rail-travelling unloaders will each discharge cement, fly ash and cement slag from vessels up to 50,000dwt at a continuous rated capacity of 800t/hr. Two of the new unloaders are scheduled for delivery in May 2022 and the third by the end of 2022. All will be fully assembled prior to delivery and transported by heavy-lift ship. Final commissioning and performance tests will be carried out in Jurong Port.

US: Komatsu plans to rebrand its underground hard rock equipment, surface wheel loaders and new line of blasthole drills to reflect the company’s focus on growth in these areas. The company will retain its iconic P&H and Joy brands for the products longest associated with those names: P&H for its electric rope shovels, hybrid shovels, draglines and 320XPC blasthole drill; Joy for longwall systems, and room and pillar equipment.

“Building on the growth of our mining portfolio, we’re excited to unite more products under the Komatsu brand, while respecting the history and value of the P&H and Joy brands,” said Jeffrey Dawes, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Komatsu Mining. “As we approach Komatsu’s 100th anniversary, it’s a great moment to expand the brand in mining and celebrate the growth of these product lines.”