Global Cement News

Jamaica: Cemex España, a subsidiary of Cemex, has agreed to lend Caribbean Cement US$102m to purchase assets mainly consisting of the Kiln 5 and Mill 5 processes at its plant at Rockfort plant Kingston. Any remaining funds will be used for ‘general corporate purposes.’ In May 2018 Caribbean Cement signed an agreement to buy plant equipment from its parent company Trinidad Cement for US$118m that was originally leased to it. Cemex owns a controlling stake in both companies.

Saudi Arabia: Sinoma International Engineering has agreed to pay an outstanding tax bill of US$3.5m to the Saudi tax bureau. The bill relates to a dispute in 2009 and 2010. The settlement includes delay charges and further charges are applicable if the bill is not paid by the end of June 2018. In 2016 the subsidiary of China national Building Materials (CNBM) was appealing against a charge of US$18m for unpaid tax in the mid 2000s.

India: Orient Cement has cancelled a deal to buy three cement plants from Jaiprakash Associates. The companies signed an agreement in May 2017 to buy a 74% stake in Bhilai Jaypee Cement for US$225m and the acquisition of the Nigrie cement grinding plant in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh from Jaiprakash Power Ventures for US$77m. Orient Cement said that the terms of the agreement allowed either party to terminate it if it did not complete within 12 months.

Bhilai Jaypee Cement, a joint venture between Jaiprakash Associates and the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), has a 2.2Mt/yr integrated Portland slag cement plant in Satna Madhya, Madhya Pradesh and a grinding plant in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh.

Czech Republic: Lafarge Czech Republic plans to spend nearly Euro4m on upgrades for its Ciskovice plant. Half of this investment has been spent on rebuilding an electrostatic precipitator for the main chimney for the plant. An additional Euro1.5m will be spent on improvements to the warehouse, handling and dosing of alternative fuels for the kiln. Upgrades to improve the unit’s noise and fire protection are also scheduled.

Mexico: Cemex has named Volvo & SDLG as its first global supplier of the year. It has also announced the winners of its third Integrate Innovation Program. Volvo also picked up first place in the Integrate program.

The initiative included 11 global suppliers of various categories and services - including mobile equipment, paper and sacks, lubricants, additives, and refractory material - who proposed 15 creative ideas to generate more efficient processes, products, and services. To evaluate and qualify the ideas received, 70 people from different areas of Cemex and different regions of the world participated in the selection of the three winning ideas.

Sweden's Volvo won first place in the Integrate program for its competence development of machine operators with simulators. Germany's Klüber Lubrication came second with its first hydro lubricant for gears. Germany's Refratechnik followed with its idea to counteract knowledge loss and special training on site. Volvo was also recognised for health & safety, Kao Chemicals for sustainability, BillerudKorsnäs for applied innovation and RHI Magnesita for customer focus.