India: Demonstrations are underway at the gates of Uma Cement Industries’ Udhampur plant. Early Times has reported the cause as the alleged laying off of drivers without legal cause or notice. Drivers’ union president Rakesh Raina alleged harassment by Uma Cement Industries as well as irresponsible practices in forcing employees to drive overloaded vehicles.
Mangalore Refinery Private Limited dispatches petcoke to UltraTech cement plant by rail
India: UltraTech’s 3.2Mt/yr integrated Rajashree plant in Aditya Nagar, Karnataka received its first petcoke delivery by rail, dispatched from Mangalore Refinery Private Limited (MRPL)’s new mechanised handling facility. The installation cost US$23.4m and can load 3600t of coke at a time into 59 cars, enabling it to process MRPL’s refinery’s 1.0Mt/yr quickly and in a way that reduces the load on road transport.
Ministry of Environment permits tyre-burning by Cementos Cosmos
Spain: Brazilian-based Votorantim Cimentos’ subsidiary Cementos Cosmos has received authorisation for the combustion of tyres to fuel the kilns at its 1.6Mt/yr Toral de los Vados plant in León. Diario del León has reported that the government of Castile and León will complete bureaucratic procedures finalising the permit before 25 December 2019.
Cement Portland Valderrivas’ Alcalá de Guadiara plant raises safety bar
Spain: Cement Portland Valderrivas’ 1.6Mt/yr integrated Alcalá de Guadiara plant in Andalusia one of five participants in an initiative for the prevention of operational risks called ‘Share It PRL.’ The initiative entails implementation of integrated business activity coordination software and communication stations throughout the Alcalá de Guadiara plant.
