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Votorantim orders Loesche mill for Sivas 2 RM project 17 February 2016
Turkey: Votorantim has placed an order for a type LM 48.4 Loesche mill for grinding cement at its Sivas 2 RM project at its Sivas cement plant. The order was placed on behalf of Votorantim by the Tianjin Cement Industry Design & Research Institute (TDI).
The raw mill will be designed with a capacity of 420t/hr and the material will be ground to a fineness of 14% R90μm. The gearbox will have a power output of 2860kW. The engineering for the cyclone separators is also included in the scope of supply. The lead time for the main components of the mill is eight months and the gearbox will be supplied within the next nine months. The commissioning of the vertical roller mill is planned for the end of 2017.
Previous collaborations between Votoranim and Loesche include projects at cement plants in Rio Branco, Laranjeiras, Salto de Pirapora, Primavera, Edealina and Cuiaba.
Camilo Restrepo appointed Vice President of Caribbean and Central Region for Cementos Argos
Written by Global Cement staff
17 February 2016
Colombia: Camilo Restrepo has been appointed the Vice President of the Caribbean and Central Region for Cementos Argos. He replaces Mauricio Ossa, who recently became president of the Colombia construction company Odinsa.
Restrepo was educated at the University of Maryland and is currently completing MBA studies at Emory University's Goizueta Business School in Atlanta, US. He joined Cementos Argos in 2005 as a research and development analyst. He became the Vice President of Innovation in 2012.
Vulcan Materials appoints four staff to management team
Written by Global Cement staff
17 February 2016
US: Vulcan Materials has appointed Stan Bass, Michael Mills, Jerry Perkins and Brock Lodge to its management team.
Stan Bass, aged 54 years, formerly Senior Vice President, West, with responsibility for Vulcan’s Western and Mountain West Divisions, has been named to the new position of Chief Growth Officer for the company. Michael Mills, aged 55 years, formerly Senior Vice President & General Counsel, has been named to the new role of Chief Administrative Officer. Jerry Perkins, aged 46 years, formerly Assistant General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, has been named General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, succeeding Michael Mills. Brock Lodge, aged 43 years, formerly Vice President & General Manager of Vulcan’s Western Division that includes all operations in California, has been promoted to President of that Division.
Bass, as Chief Growth Officer, will be responsible for leading the company’s business development, commercial excellence and strategic growth initiatives. Mills as Chief Administrative Officer will be responsible for the executive oversight of the non-financial, administrative functions of the company.
HeidelbergCement profit rises by 16% in 2015 16 February 2016
Germany: HeidelbergCement has reported that its operating income or profit has risen by 16% year-on-year to Euro1.85bn in 2015 from Euro1.6bn in 2014 in its preliminary results for 2015. Its revenue grew by 6.7% to Euro13.5bn from Euro12.6bn in the same period. It attributed the growth to efficiency drives, price increases in key markets, lower energy costs and currency effects due to a weakening Euro.
“2015 was by far the best year for HeidelbergCement since the financial crisis,” said Bernd Scheifele, Chairman of the Managing Board. “Despite the slowdown of the global economy in the course of the year, we were able to significantly increase our operating income as anticipated. Our strict focus on improving efficiency and margins in recent years, our advantageous geographical positioning, and continuous investments in growth have made a significant contribution.”
The group reported that sales volumes of cement remained stable in 2015. A rise in cement deliveries in North America and Africa almost compensated for the decrease in Europe and Asia. Sales also benefited in the fourth quarter of 2015 from mild weather extending the construction period in parts of Europe. Overall the group reported that sales volumes of cement, clinker and ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) fell slightly to 81.8Mt in 2015 from 81.1Mt in 2014. A similar trend was reported in the fourth quarter of 2015.
By region, overall sales revenue rose in Western and Northern Europe in 2015 driven by demand for building materials in the UK, price increases, currency effects and reduced energy costs. Despite all of this cement sales volumes fell slightly. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia both sales revenue and volumes fell in 2015 mainly due to decreased demand in Ukraine and Russia. In North America both sales revenue and volumes grew in 2015 with a particular positive trend in the west of the US. Revenue grew by 22.9% to Euro3.75bn. Sales volumes in cement grew by 1.9% to 12.3Mt. Asia-Pacific reported both sales revenue and volumes falling in 2015 led by a downturn in Indonesia and Malaysia. Sales revenue and volumes grew in Africa-Mediterranean Basin in 2015 in most countries with the exception of Ghana, where sales volumes fell due to negative effects due to the falling oil price.
HeidelbergCement noted in its preliminary results that the ‘evaluation of potential synergies was provisionally concluded at the start of 2016’ for its takeover of Italcementi. As such its cost-saving target for the takeover has been raised from Euro300m to Euro400m. Approvals have been granted by the competition authorities in India, Canada, Morocco, and Kazakhstan. Discussions with the competition authorities in the US and in Europe are currently ongoing. HeidelbergCement expects the purchase of the 45% stake to be concluded in the first half of 2016.
India: HeidelbergCement India has successfully commissioned a waste heat recovery unit at its Narsingarh cement plant in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh. The new power plant will use waste heat generated by the clinker lines at the plant. It will be able to generate up to 12MW of power from this source.