Global Cement News

Europe: The European Union (EU) Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) has reached a price of Euro50/t. Data from Refinitiv and reporting by Reuters shows that on 4 May 2021 it hit Euro50.05/t, its highest level since the scheme started in 2005. Prior to late 2020 the carbon market price remained below Euro30/t. The fourth phase of the EU ETS started in January 2021.

Belarus: The Belarus Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich has met with energy research institute Belgiprotopgaz to discuss the latter’s plans for the transition to the use of peat as fuel for cement production. Business World Magazine has reported that the country launched a major modernisation of peat production for 2021 – 2025 in late 2020. If successful, the domestically produced resource will replace imported natural gas in cement kiln lines.

India: Gallantt Industry has ordered a Ready2Grind compact grinding plant from Germany-based Gebr. Pfeiffer for its Gorakhpur cement plant in Uttar Pradesh. The supplier says that the 65t/hr-capacity plant will grind cement to a Blaine fineness of 3750cm²/g. The planned MVR 2500 C-4 represents the medium size of the portfolio of the supplier’s modular mill range. Due to the planned installation in the vicinity of a steelworks, blast furnace slag, steelworks slag from an induction furnace and fly ash from an in-house power plant will also be considered as supplementary cementitious materials addition to clinker and gypsum. The mill will be equipped with a 1270kW main drive and an integrated SLS 2650 VC high-performance classifier.

India: Jaiprakash Associates has suspended operations at its cement plants in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh from 1 May 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The company say it will continue maintenance activities of these plants during this time. It described the situation as ‘dynamic’ and plans to resume operations after ongoing analysis.

India: Ambuja Cements and ACC, LafargeHolcim’s local subsidiaries, have started supplying oxygen concentrators, cylinders and generating plants in various locations to help the government as it tackles a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

In Rajasthan, Ambuja Cements is setting up an oxygen generating plant at the JLN Hospital in Nagaur with a capacity of 40 - 50m³, with daily refilling of around 175 - 200 cylinders. The process to set up the oxygen plant has commenced and should be ready around the end of May 2021. In addition to setting up the plant, Ambuja Cements and ACC, have placed an order to procure 100 oxygen concentrators, each with a capacity of 10l/minute. These will be supplied to communities of three districts in Rajasthan - Bundi, Pali and Nagaur - where cement plant of both companies are located at Lakheri, Rabriyawas and Mundwa.

In Gujarat Ambuja Cements has installed an oxygen generating plant at Ambujanagar Multi-Specialty Hospital. The oxygen generating unit has a capacity of 35 - 40 cylinders/day at the flow rate of 10Nm3/hr and has been set up in two weeks.

Neeraj Akhoury, the chief executive officer of LafargeHolcim India, said “Community well-being has always been our priority, and it takes precedence as India bravely fights the second wave of the pandemic. In the current situation, oxygen supply is critical to combat the effects of Covid-19 and through setting up an oxygen generating plant, we aim to extend our support to the community members and local authorities.”

Other similar schemes to supply oxygen and related equipment are being prepared in Dehli, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, according to the Press Trust of India.