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Greek Supreme Court orders Heracles General Cement to pay village Euro78,000 for pollution 07 January 2015
Greece: The Supreme Court of Greece has ordered the Heracles' General Cement Company, a subsidiary of Lafarge, to pay the residents of Agia Marina, Halkida Euro78,000 as compensation for pollution from its cement plant.
The court upheld the settlement's arguments that the cement plant had failed
to adhere to the environmental terms in its operating licence in order to avoid the relevant costs and refused to take measures for the proper maintenance and modernisation of its facilities. They said this resulted in all outdoor areas in the village being covered in a layer of cement dust up to 1.2cm thick, including the nearby coastline.
The village residents had originally sued for a total of Euro1.14m but the court awarded the residents a much lower sum, even though it found that the company's omissions fully justified their claim to moral damages resulting from their deprivation of environmental benefits and the threat to their health from exposure to environmental pollution.
Belarus government to repay cement companies’ debts to China 07 January 2015
Belarus: The Belarusian government will acquire additional stakes in three cement companies in exchange for helping them to repay loans to China's Eximbank. The Council of Ministers has issued a directive that provides for restructuring the overdue debts incurred by Belarusian Cement Plant, Krychawtsementnashyfer and Krasnaselskbudmateryyaly as of 1 October 2014.
The three cement producers will receive the bailout on condition that they meet their profitability of sales targets for 2015 and fulfil their obligations to Eximbank starting 2015. Krasnaselskbudmateryyaly, Belarusian Cement Plant and Krychawtsementnashyfer owe US$34.4m, US$43.7m and US$50.6m to the Chinese bank, respectively, in overdue loan payments.
Hope announces Euro17.8m expansion upgrades at cement plant 07 January 2015
UK: Hope Construction Materials is investing Euro17.8m to boost production at its Hope Works cement plant. The upgrades include a completed 20,000t clinker store, a system to increase the plant's capacity to use waste-derived fuels and an internal upgrade of the plant's chimney, improvements to the way the raw materials are fed into the twin kilns and maintenance and refurbishment of a large section of one of the kilns.
"The installation of the new kiln shell section is a spectacular piece of engineering involving several teams and very careful planning. We are delighted with the way that this individual project has evolved and look forward to seeing the others progress to schedule... We are very excited to be involved in the largest investment programme on site for many years," said Hope Works Operations Manager Ed Cavanagh.
The announcement comes on Hope Construction Materials' second birthday. Hope has owned and operated the 85 year old cement plant since January 2013.
Lafarge appoints two to East African Portland Cement Company board
Written by Global Cement staff
07 January 2015
Kenya: Lafarge has appointed two directors to the board of East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) following the exit of Titus Naikuni after eight years with the company. EAPCC said that the terms for ex-Capital Markets Authority chairman Kung'u Gatabaki and Sarone Sena, chairman of Eldoret University council, are effective immediately. Bill Lay was reappointed as EAPCC chairman for a three year period, effective from 7 November 2014, by president Uhuru Kenyatta.
Saudi Tabuk Cement appoints director general
Written by Global Cement staff
07 January 2015
Saudi Arabia: The management board of Tabuk Cement Company has appointed Ali al-Asmari as director general, effective as of 1 January 2015. Al-Asmari, who joined Tabuk Cement in 1996, has held various positions within the company's management, including head of quarries, factory director and deputy director general.