South Korea/Thailand: Austria’s Unitherm Cemcon has commissioned a MAS kiln burner at a cement plant in South Korea. The order was issued in late 2018 for three MAS burners. The first burner was delivered in February 2019 and the other two in March 2019. In May 2019 Unitherm Cemcon says it supported the commissioning of the first burner.

The scope of supply included two 43MW MAS/4/KO SO type burners for coal and heavy oil and one 87MW MAS/7/KO SO.X type rotary kiln burner for coal, heavy oil and solid secondary fuels. All three burners have been executed with a divisible burner jacket tube. One MAS/7/KO.SO.X is already successfully operating in another line, firing up to 6t/hr of coal and around 10t/hr of solid secondary fuel.

The burner manufacturer has also been awarded a contract to supply a hot gas generator for a plant in Thailand. The scope of supply includes: engineering and manufacturing drawings for the hot gas generator combustion chamber; a combined 45MW oil and coal burner; a primary air fan; a gas electric pilot burner; a flame monitoring device; and an oil valve train with burner management system.

Switzerland: LafargeHolcim’s net sales grew by 2.2% year-on-year to Euro5.28bn in the first quarter of 2019 from Euro5.17bn in the same period in 2018. Its recurring earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 15.55 to Euro717m from Euro620m. Its cement sales volumes remained stable at 50Mt and sales volumes of ready-mix concrete increased by 2.1% to 11.1Mm³.

“We had a very strong start of the year and I am especially pleased to see our strong sales growth and an over-proportional increase in profitability. Our momentum is very positive and the Q1 2019 is the third consecutive quarter with recurring EBITDA growing faster than net sales,” said chief executive officer (CEO) Jan Jenisch. He added that the group’s decision to sell its Southeast Asian operations was, “executed with very attractive valuations, allowing us to achieve a new level of financial strength.”

By region the group performed poorly in Asia Pacific, Middle East Africa and Latin America, with falling net sales. Earnings also fell in Middle East Africa. However, significant sales increases in Europe and North America more than compensated for this.

Myanmar: 17 residents have been injured in a protest against the Alpha Cement Plant at Patheingyi in the Kyaukse district or the Mandalay region. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the protestors, according to Radio Free Asia. The local residents were complaining about compensation for a road that is being built as part of the project. Concerns have also been raised over the use of Chinese nationals at the site.

The Alpha Cement Plant, previously known as Myanmar Conch Cement, is a joint venture between Myanmar's Myint Investment Group and China's Anhui Conch. The unit is currently being upgraded to a production capacity of 5000t/day. Construction work started in late 2017.

Colombia: Cementos Argos’ revenue grew by 14% year-on-year to US$657m in the first quarter of 2019 from US$576m in the same period in 2018. Its operating earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 3.7% to US$94m from US$90.7m. Its cement sales volumes increased by 4.7% to 3.86Mt from 3.69Mt. Ready-mixed concrete sales volumes increased by 2.3% to 2.5Mm³. Revenue grew fastest in the US followed by Colombia but it decreased in the Caribbean and Central America.