Global Cement News

Russia: Sibirskiy Cement subsidiary Krasnoyarsk Cement says that it has installed a new electrostatic precipitator on Kiln 5 at its Krasnoyarsk cement plant as part of an environmental upgrade project. It spent US$3m on the equipment from Switzerland. It says that it has made ‘a significant contribution’ to the company’s goals under the Clean Air national project. The company has also installed an automatic emission control system at the plant.

The cement producer now plans to upgrade the plant’s primary limestone crushing equipment for US$203,000 and install a new automated measuring system for US$379,000. It has estimated that its full-year cement output in 2020 will increase by 2% year-on-year to 621,000t from 609,000t in 2019.

Tunisia: Six companies filed offers to acquire a majority stake of between 58% and 78% of Carthage Cement’s registered share capital. The group called for expressions of interest on 29 May 2020 and the deadline for receipt of tenders was 4 December 2020. It said, “The list of pre-qualified investors will be communicated once the opening and examination of the offers received have been finalised.”

India: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has raided the offices of LafargeHolcim subsidiaries ACC and Ambuja Cement and Aditya Birla subsidiary UltraTech Cement as part of an investigation into alleged anti-competitive behaviour, according to the Press Trust of India. ACC said it, "is of the firm view that it has acted and continues to act in compliance with competition laws and we are fully cooperating with the investigation and providing all necessary information to the authorities."

France: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge France has announced a planned upgrade to its 120,000m³/yr Javel concrete plant involving a capacity reduction to 80,000m3/yr. It says that this corresponds to the significant reduction in the production capacity of the future Mirabeau power station and ’the expectations of residents and public authorities.’ The company has described the project as a ‘modernisation’ and from 2023 it will see at least 50% of its production become low or very-low carbon concrete products.

The producer said, “LafargeHolcim's approach by requesting the withdrawal of the existing authorisation thus consolidates its commitments vis-à-vis the stakeholders in the consultation process. The enforcement of the environmental controls announced by Paris Seine Normandy Ports (HAROPA) will of course be maintained and LafargeHolcim is fully in favour of maintaining the strictest controls on the part of the state services.”

Australia: Germany-based Flender has announced the opening of a new production and testing centre in the Perth suburb of Bayswater, Western Australia. The supplier says that the 3500m² facility is equipped with a 1.5MW load test bench capable of testing complete drive systems up to a voltage of 6.6kV.

Chief executive officer (CEO) and general manager Kareem Emara said, “Our recent growth in Western Australia has been great and a testament to the quality of our products, service and technical know-how. As we continue to grow, we want to reinvest in this key market and be where our customers are to offer them the combined brains trust of over 50 facilities worldwide through this new state-of-the-art centre.”