Global Cement News
Search Cement News
Belgium/Germany: The European Commission has launched an investigation into the planned sale of Cemex's assets in the west of Germany to Holcim as the deal may harm competition. The commission is concerned that the planned acquisition of the German company Cemex West may reduce competition in parts of Germany and Belgium, where Cemex West is an 'actual or potential competitor' of Holcim. The commission intends to make a decision by 10 March 2014.
In August 2013 the Mexican cement producer Cemex and Swiss multinational cement maker Holcim announced plans to swap assets in Europe. On 18 October 2013 the commission announced that it would investigate Cemex's bid to buy Holcim's cement operations in Spain.
Akkord Cement to increase cement production to 3Mt/yr by 2016 23 October 2013
Azerbaijan: Akkord Cement intends to increase production at its cement plant to 3Mt/yr of cement by 2016. Suat Chalbiyiyk, Deputy Chairman of the Akkord Board of Directors, made the announcement and said that US$570m would be required for the project. The source of the funding has not yet been identified.
"With the second phase of production we intend to increase production of clinker up to 2Mt/yr and cement production up to 3Mt/yr. We estimate that, by 2016, cement demand is going to increase up to 5.5 – 6Mt/yr," said Chalbiyik.
At present Akkord Cement has a cement production capacity of 1.2Mt/yr.
Khukh Tsav cement plant to produce 2Mt/yr from 2014 23 October 2013
Mongolia: A president of the Mongolian Alt Corporation (MAK) has announced that the Khukh Tsav cement plant will be able to produce 2Mt/yr of cement from 2014. At a state visit to the site by the Minister and the state secretary of the Construction and Urban Development Ministry, Ts Bayarsaikhan and R Erdeneburen, B Nyamtaishir of MAK asked that a quota of foreign workers be allowed to work at the plant.
Engineering firm FLSmidth has been contracted to provide machinery for the project. Once operational PC42,5 PC52,5 and PC62,5 cement will be produced at the cement plant located in Dalanjargalan Sum, Dornogovi aimag in the south-east of the country.
Dangote to build 1.5Mt/yr cement plant in Niger 23 October 2013
Niger: Aliko Dangote, head of Dangote Cement, intends to build a US$350m cement plant with a production capacity of 1.5Mt/yr in Niger. Dangote made the comments to Reuters following a meeting with President Issoufou Mahamadou in Niamey on 16 October 2013. The project will create 6000 to 7000 jobs. The plant will include a captive power plant with surplus electricity to be sold to the local power grid.
Niger currently has one cement plant, Société Nigérienne de Cimenterie, with a production capacity of 0.04Mt/yr.
Cemento Andino to launch second production line 23 October 2013
Venezuela: Cemento Andino plans to build a second production line taking its cement production capacity to 2Mt/yr from 0.7Mt/yr. People's Minister for Industries, Ricardo Menendez, made the announcement on a visit to the cement plant in the state of Trujillo. He added that Chinese contractors will be working on the project.