Global Cement News

Italy: Italcementi's Carlo Pesenti (CEO) and Giovanni Ferrario (COO) launched i.nova, Italcementi's new product offer system, on 19 September 2013. The entire product portfolio developed by the group, focused on the concept of differentiating products by performance, is now available on the market.

The group says that the customer is the hub of the i.nova system, which differs from the traditional commodity-based approach to cement supply. Its system is designed to simplify the purchasing process by organising products by structural codes.

Through i.nova it will be easier for customers to distinguish and select, for instance, the acoustic products that are grouped under the i.sound family, or the thermal products grouped under the i.clime family or again, the special products for water, grouped under the i.idro family. In addition, a distinct colour and graphic marking have been given to each performance 'family' so as to make visual recognition of the product quicker and easier in all the countries where the group operates.

"i.nova revolutionises Italcementi's marketing strategy and approach to sales, reconfirming the group's highly innovative positioning," explained Carlo Pesenti. "Despite operating in what is referred to as a traditional sector, the company places research, innovation and sustainability at the forefront of its industrial strategy, convinced that such values represent a fundamental lever for consolidating its competitive advantage in the building industry. In fact, i.nova is the evolution of the last 15 years of research, during which many unique innovative products have been developed, such as the photocatalytic cement and the transparent cement used for the Italian Pavilion in Shanghai."

India: The Indian Realtors' body CREDAI has said that cement prices across India had gone up by US$0.95-1.12/bag in the week to 23 September 2013 and that it was considering an approach to the fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) alleging a cartel between the cement producers.

CREDAI chairman Lalit Kumar Jain said that cement prices in Pune had risen by 31% in just a week. "Considering that buyer sentiment is currently low, the cement price rise defies logic," he said. "We feel that there is a cartel. We are currently taking legal advice."

Russia: France's Lafarge, the world's largest cement producer, has announced that it has appointed André Martin to the position of chief executive in its Russian division. He replaces Alex de Valukhoff.

"To come to Russia and serve as the CEO of Lafarge Russia is an honour I find humbling and motivating," said Martin to the Moscow Times. "Together with the team of professionals we are committed to contributing to the building of better cities."

Martin joined Lafarge in 1995, initially working in cement mergers and acquisitions before rising to the post of president of Lafarge-Agregate-Betoane in Romania in 1999. He has also worked for Lafarge in North America. Most recently Martin was the senior vice president for Lafarge's industrial customer segment in Paris.

UK: The Mineral Products Association (MPA) today, which promotes the interests of the cement industry in the UK, has today launched a landmark document for the UK cement industry, 'Cementing the Future – Sustaining an Essential British Industry'. The new publication sets out to explain the importance of cement and concrete to the UK economy and society and draws attention to the vulnerability of the industry to overseas competition unless the government acts to create a level playing field in terms of the cost of regulation and unilateral 'green taxes' that overseas competitors do not face.

"Cement is a key constituent in concrete, the most widely used man made substance on the planet , and underpins our economy and everyday life," said Dr Pal Chana, Executive Director of the MPA. "Our shops, factories, offices, homes, schools, hospitals and much more all depend on this critical material yet the industry is struggling to compete in the face of ever increasing costs, some of which are centrally imposed by government. Our strategic significance to the economy cannot be overstated."

"The government's own economic growth plans are predicated on a substantial increase in the construction of infrastructure and housing and cement and concrete are going to be needed for both," continued Chana. "We cannot allow the supply of this essential material to be left to the vagaries of the international trading markets, especially not when we have a deep rooted industry here in the UK with factories in mainly rural locations providing much needed jobs."

'Cementing the Future' calls on the government to: recognise the industry's strategic significance and potential to generate economic growth; acknowledge the industry's role in delivering a low-carbon future for the UK; deliver an economic climate of investment security and reduce regulatory uncertainty in the industry; reduce the cumulative cost burden on the industry and; lift unilateral green taxes. In return, the industry will deliver: a secure supply of quality-assured cement made in the UK; commitment to the UK government's infrastructure and built environment programme; continued investment in the future of a healthy domestic cement industry; sustained employment at our network of UK cement plants and the supporting supply chain and; a planned reduction of 81% in greenhouse gases as detailed in our Carbon Roadmap to 2050.

"The UK cement industry has provided an essential material for the built environment for over 100 years. Working with government, we can continue to make a vital contribution to development and cement the future of an essential British industry", concluded Chana.

India: The Indian high court in Gujarat has ordered that a US$600m deal to sell the Kutch cement plant from Jaypee Cement to UltraTech Cement will be subject of outcome of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by local villagers.

According to the Times of India, the Kharai panchayat has filed a PIL complaining that the cement company has encroached upon grazing land, water bodies and public roads. The PIL demands that the encroachment should be removed and that the high court should intervene to make the area free from pollution caused by mining and the dumping of dust.

Counsel Mehul Sharad Shah contended that over 5000 hectares of land was given at a cheap rate to Gujarat Anjan Cement to create a cement plant for a lease period of 1997 to 2008 on the condition that the company would put up construction within two years. After not following the condition, it transferred the lease for US$120m to Jayprakash Associates, which merged with the J P Corporation. The PIL alleges that the company encroached on gauchar land, water bodies, public roads and began polluting by dumping alkali dust. Cuts in jobs for local labourers has also added to tension in the area.

The high court has said that the transfer of lease will be subject to final outcome of the PIL.