Global Cement News

US: According to Marine Link, as part of strategic efforts to increase cargo business at the Port of San Diego, California, the port has entered a conditional agreement with Mitsubishi Cement Corporation (MCC) for potential future operations at Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

The conditional agreement, which was approved by the board of port commissioners on 11 June 2015, will allow the port to conduct a project review under the California Environmental Quality Act in anticipation of MCC's potential operations at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal on San Diego Bay.

The port entered into the agreement to facilitate MCC's potential development, lease and operation of a marine transfer and storage facility for the import, distribution, exportation, handling and storage of bulk cement, cement-related bulk products and concrete aggregate. The conditional agreement envisions contributions by MCC toward modernising the marine terminal and the company's participation in development costs for long-term improvements.

"Our maritime business capacity is a core strength of the Port of San Diego and that's why we are committed to maximising our cargo facilities," said port chairman Dan Malcolm. "We look forward to working with MCC. By harnessing the power of partnerships to invest in this terminal, we reinforce our status as San Diego's maritime cargo gateway to the world."

MCC manufactures all of the major types of Portland and specialty cements used in California and Nevada. The company was formed in March 1988 with the acquisition of the Cushenbury cement plant in Lucerne Valley, California and other ancillary assets.

Canada: The Vancouver Sun has reported that a pair of bald eagles that have nested in a tree on the Lafarge industrial site in Vancouver have been beset by tragedy after the mother eagle died, leaving two baby eagles as orphans.

Lafarge had built a new nesting platform up a 20m pole in 2009, but the eagles used it for perching only and continued to nest elsewhere. The eagles hatched two eaglets in April 2015, but on 13 June 2015 the female was electrocuted by power lines while being chased by crows. The loss has devastated conservationists who had long worked to protect the pair and has left them wondering if the male eagle can continue to successfully raise his young until they are fledged, in about four weeks.

"We are just heartsick over this tragedy," said Karen Bills, project coordinator for the Hancock Wildlife Foundation, which worked with Lafarge to install the artificial nest.

India: ACC resumed limestone mining operations at Bargarh, Odisha, after about nine months, on 17 June 2015.

ACC stopped mining at Bargarh in October 2014 following a government notice to suspend operations at the plant. The company stopped clinker production at its Chaibasa, Jharkhand, and Bargarh plants, but continued to operate the grinding units associated with these. "The impact of the closure was not material since cement grinding continued with the transfer of clinker from sister works and clinker purchases," said ACC.

State governments were issued orders to stop mining, following a Supreme Court judgement in the matter of Goa Foundation versus Union of India and Others and in Common Cause versus Union of India on the deemed renewal of mining leases and a subsequent amendment to The Mineral Concession Rules 1960.

ACC resumed limestone mining operations following terms of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Ordinance 2015.

India: Charles Correa, a renowned Indian architect, died on 17 June 2015 at the age of 84.

Correa designed structures in Toronto, Canada, Lisbon, Portugal and Boston, USA, but most of his projects were in India. His designs included low-cost apartments, office buildings, museums, churches, legislatures, new townships and scientific institutes.

"Correa's architectural marvels are widely cherished, reflecting his brilliance, innovative zeal and wonderful aesthetic sense," said prime minister Narendra Modi.

India: According to the Press Trust of India, Wonder Cement, part of RK Marble Group, plans to invest US$500m to increase its cement production capacity to 10Mt/yr in the next five years from the current 3.25Mt/yr.

"We have 3.25Mt/yr of cement manufacturing capacity at our Bhatkotri village plant in Rajasthan and have invested US$250m to double the current capacity to about 7Mt/yr by setting up a second production line. It is likely to be complete by the end of 2015," said Wonder Cement's executive director Jagdish Chandra Toshniwal.

Toshniwal added that Wonder Cement plans to further expand the current capacity to 10Mt/yr by setting up a third production line at a cost of US$250m in the next five years. The project will be funded through an internal accrual of US$47m, promoters' contribution of US$78m and debt of around US$376m.

Currently, the plant is running at full capacity and sells 1.8m bags/day to the northern states, with 50% of its volume sold in Rajasthan. Toshniwal said that Wonder Cement is also expanding its base in north Gujarat and western parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

"The cement industry is evolving rapidly. We prepare for the next phase of the company's growth. We are focusing our efforts on increasing our market share by creating a clearly distinctive positioning in the market place," said Toshniwal. Some of the recent government initiatives such as development of 100 smart cities, housing for all by 2022 and post-monsoon commencement of several infrastructure projects are expected to provide a major boost to the sector, Toshniwal added.