Global Cement News

UK: The board of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) has voted to send official correspondence to Sean Quinn, expected to contain a request that he keep his distance from operations. Quinn visited the company’s 0.5Mt/yr Ballyconnell plant on 21 November 2019 and quarries earlier in the month. The Sunday Independent reported that Quinn, who left his position as a consultant to his former enterprise in 2016, may be asked to return his company cars - a Range Rover and Audi A6. Quinn has condemned attacks on staff, including the kidnap and torture of executive director Kevin Lunney on 17 September 2019, for which four men appeared in court charged with assault and false imprisonment on 26 November 2019.

Canada: HeidelbergCement’s Canadian subsidiary Lehigh Cement is trialling the cement industry’s first full carbon capture and storage (CCS) installation at its 1.4Mt/yr integrated Edmonton plant in Alberta in partnership with Canada’s International CCS Knowledge Centre. The installation will have a CO2 capture rate of between 90% and 95% and receive an investment of US$1.4m from the state government body Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA). “We are part of HeidelbergCement’s vision of CO2-neutral concrete by 2050 and are committed to leading global change for CCS in our industry,” said Jeorg Nixdorf, Lehigh Hanson Canada regional president.

Morocco: HeidelbergCement has sold 3.6% of its 54.6% stake in Ciments du Maroc’s share capital. HeidelbergCement chairman Bernd Scheifele expressed the company’s commitment to retaining its majority stake in the total 5.6Mt/yr-capacity cement producer. Scheifele explained that the decision was ‘aimed at generating cash to speed up deleveraging,’ and that it was ‘well on track’ to reach its Euro1.5bn disposal target by the end of 2020.

Denmark: FLSmidth’s chief financial officer (CFO) Lars Vestergaard has agreed with the board of directors to resign from the company, effective immediately. FLSmidth has stated as the reason for the change a need for ‘a different set of competences to strengthen our organisation and execute long-term financial targets.’ It thanked Vestergaard for his commitment and dedication in helping FLSmidth achieve milestones in ‘creating a stronger and more focused organisation. FLSmidth Head of Group Reporting and Compliance Naja Barrisøe supersedes Vestergaard as interim CFO until the newly appointed CFO joins the company on or before 1 July 2020.

Bosnia Herzegovina: HeidelbergCement’s Bosnian concrete subsidiary TBG BH has entered into production at its new concrete plant in the southern city of Mostar, bringing its number of plants in active production to seven. Ehlimana Šehmehmedović, TBG BH director, said: “The opening of a concrete production facility in Mostar is part of our strategy to strengthen the supply of quality products to Mostar and Herzegovina.”