Global Cement News

Ghana: The Chamber of Cement Manufacturers (COCMAG) has lobbied against the government’s decision to reduce the benchmark value to 30% from 50%. It says that a reduction in discounts on selected imports will result in higher production costs that could be passed on to the price of cement, according to the Business and Financial Times newspaper. Local limestone producers are also reported to be trying to increase their prices by over 60%, which could also put up prices. COCMAG has cited growing clinker, transport and fuel input costs as a potential source of higher production costs as well as negative currency exchange effects. COCMAG wants the government to maintain the benchmark value at 50% for input materials for cement production

The benchmark system was introduced in 2019 as a way of discounting the price of certain imports. Under the policy, certain commodities were benchmarked to world prices as a risk management tool.

Germany: Schmersal Group has asked its Russian sales partner to suspend the supply of safety switchgear and systems. It said that the action was not easy for the company as it meant stopping a ‘noticeable’ sales volume. Managing director Philip Schmersal said, "We do not want to contribute to the economy and production of a country that disregards the sovereignty of another country and brings great suffering to its people.”

China: Anhui Conch plans to invest around US$800m in its Anhui Conch New Energy subsidiary towards the development of photovoltaic (PV) projects. By the end of 2022 the company plans to have installed PV power generation capacity of 1GW with an output of 1bn kWh. Anhui Conch fully acquired the subsidiary in August 2021.

Spain: HeidelbergCement is starting the Neuclicem carbon capture use and storage (CCUS) project at its integrated Arrigorriaga plant near Bilbao. Local electricity company Volbas and the Tecnalia Research & Innovation centre are participating in the initiative. The project intends to look at a process based on the mineralisation of alkaline waste, such as residual construction waste or steel slag, by accelerated carbonation using CO₂ from the flue gas at the plant. The resulting materials will then be used as additives in cement production or to reduce the use of clinker. The scheme will study its viability of the process on an industrial scale.

The Neuclicem project has an estimated duration of 14 months. Its results are intended to prepare the way for scaling up to a subsequent industrial prototype. The project is partially financed by Ihobe, an environmental management division of the regional Basque government.

US: A court has instructed Continental Cement to pay a worker who acted as an employee representative during Mine Safety and Health Administration (MHSA) inspections at its Hannibal, Missouri, quarry. The Insurance Journal newspaper has reported that the producer reduced the worker's pay as a mobile equipment operator by a total of US$388 over a period of days in March and April 2020. In addition to paying the worker, Continental Cement must pay a US$17,500 fine to the US Treasury for violation of the Mine Safety and Health Act. It is also required to expunge any adverse information related to the whistleblower complaint from the employee's personnel record and to post information on miner's rights in employee areas.

MSHA district manager Robert Simms said "The MSHA investigation found Continental Cement clearly discriminated against the worker for serving as the miners' representative. Federal discrimination laws exist to protect workers from penalties for serving as safety and health representatives while on the job." Simms concluded "The judge's decision sends the message that retaliation is a costly mistake for employers."