China: Taiwan Cement has published information on behalf of its shipping subsidiary Ta-Ho Maritime concerning the latter’s purchase of two 84,000t capacity bulk carrier vessels at a price not exceeding US$70m from Japan-based shipbuilder Sumitomo. The deal contains an option to purchase a third unit for not more than US$35m, to be exercised before 30 September 2019.

Switzerland: Minerals process control innovator ABB has unveiled new visual control graphics for its Ability System 800xA, which is installed at 450 cement and mining sites worldwide. The platform, called 800xA 6.1, is compatible with other existing ABB and external vendor subsystems.

“As the main interface between humans and the production site, visualisation is critical,” said Michael Marending, lead engineer at ABB. The upgrade allows for extensive customisation for tailored presentation including navigation shortcuts, and features a specially designed alarm system.

China/Finland: Metso Corporation has announced that it will complete its takeover of Shaorui Heavy Industries with the exercise of its call option over 25% of shares. Markku Simula, President of the Aggregates Equipment division of Metso, has expressed the company’s high expectations of Shaorui, one of China’s ‘leading mid-market crushing and screening equipment producers.’ The purchase will be completed in late 2019.

Iran: Iran increased its cement production in the five months to 22 August 2019 to 23.1Mt, a 4.8% increase from 22.1Mt in the same period of 2018. In spite of this, the country’s cement exports in these first five months of the Iranian year fell by 17% to 5.48Mt from 6.60Mt. Clinker exports fell by under 2%. Though still the World’s number 10 cement producer, demand for Iran’s cement is hampered by US trade sanctions. This has led the country to seek to improve sales in neighbouring countries, such as Afghanistan.