Ireland/UK: Quinn Industrial Holdings has installed an automated weighbridge system supplied by Precia Molen at its limestone quarry at Crievehill near Fivemiletown, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. The new weighbridge was completed in June 2019. It includes the company’s VS310CS pour on site surface weighbridge complete with driver operated control systems. Other upgrades at the site include a lorry wheel wash, a new access route and improved security, health and safety measures. Quinn purchased the quarry from Acheson and Glover in late 2018. It is using limestone from the mine to make cement.

Peru: UNACEM’s sales rose by 1.5% year-on-year to US$296m in the first half of 2019 from US$292m in the same period in 2018. Its profit grew by 20.5% to US$74.3m from US$61.7m. Cement production increased by 8.5% to 2.62Mt from 2.42Mt. The cement producer also said that clinker exports from its Conchán pier fell by 22% to 0.45Mt from 0.58Mt.

Saudi Arabia: Najran Cement’s sales rose by 20% year-on-year to US$48.7m in the first half of 2019 from US$40.6m in the same period of 2018. Its net profit after Zakat and tax was US$0.92m, after a loss previously. It attributed its increased sales and profit to higher sales volumes, better pricing and reduced production costs.

Guatemala: The government has introduced a new distribution tax of US$0.2 per 42.5kg bag of cement. The new legislation also intends to regulate cement and clinker imports and appoint personnel to supervise storage sites, according to the El Periódico newspaper.