Global Cement News

India: The board of Mangalam Cement has approved plants to build a 11MW waste heat recovery unit at its Morak plant in Rajasthan. The subsidiary of BK Birla Group operates a single integrated plant.

Saudi Arabia: Najran Cement says that the financial impact of temporarily stopping its third production line and reopening its second production line will be around US$3m. The cement producer intends to sell stock from inventory to mitigate the cost.

Saudi Arabia: Al Jouf Cement has renewed its export licence for one year. The Saudi cement producer received the licence on 15 February 2018, according to Mubasher. The licence will end in February 2019 and any financial impact will be announced subsequently.

Saudi Arabia: Hail Cement has renewed its three-year asset management agreement with Finland’s Wärtsilä for the power plant at its Turbah plant. Wärtsilä provides guarantees for the performance of the power plant and ensures the reliability and availability of its operations. The operations of the power plant are remotely monitored from a Wärtsilä Expertise Centre for real-time data gathering and analysis. The agreement, signed in November 2017, is already the second renewal of Wärtsilä’s service agreement for the power plant in Turbah, the first agreement being signed in 2012.

“Wärtsilä has been responsible for the full operation and maintenance of our power plant in Turbah for about six years now. We have been satisfied with its flexibility, quality of service and emphasis on safety, and are happy to continue our co-operation with them,” said Matar Al Zahrani, chief executive officer (CEO) of Hail Cement.

The agreement covers the operation and maintenance of Hail Cement Factory’s power plant, including the day-to-day operation of the power plant, preventive and predictive maintenance as well as plant operations manpower, health and safety management. The 53MW base load power plant is equipped with seven Wärtsilä 32 engines and provides energy for Hail Cement Company’s cement factory as well as for the nearby residential area.

Namibia: Cheetah Cement has imported 40,000t of clinker from China via the Port of Walvis Bay. The clinker will be transported by truck to the cement producer’s plant in Otjiwarongo, according to the Namibian Sun newspaper. The company is a joint venture between China’s Asia-Africa Business Management and Whale Rock Cement. Its plant was reported ‘complete’ in late 2017 but construction work continued into January 2018.