Netherlands: Malvern Panalytical has launched a next version of Epsilon 1 X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer. The upgrade has reduced the product’s size to 0.15m². Its precision has been improved by integrating a high-power X-ray tube and a new detector.

“With the new generation of our compact Epsilon 1 benchtop XRF spectrometers, you can take a small yet powerful lab directly to your sample for fast product screening and process control”, said Lieven Kempenaers, Malvern Panalytical Product Manager for benchtop XRF systems.

The Epsilon 1 product is available in a number of versions tailored for difference applications. The Epsilon 1 Lube Oil delivers ASTM 6481-compliant elemental analysis of unused lubricating oils; the Epsilon 1 Sulfur in Fuels quantifies sulphur content in fuels according to ASTM D4294-10 and ISO 20847; the Epsilon 1 Academia enables characterisation of unidentified samples, using Omnian software for standardless analysis; and the integrated camera in the Epsilon 1 for Small Spot Analysis simplifies the investigation of very small objects, inclusions or inhomogeneities.

Philippines: The Cement Importers Association of the Philippines (CIAP) has defended cement imports from Vietnam. In a statement the association said that all legally imported cement sold in the Philippines met the required standards, according to the BusinessWorld newspaper. It made the comment in response to media reports that ‘substandard’ Vietnam-sourced cement was saturating the market.

CIAP said that the controls imposed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) were tougher for imported cement than for locally produced cement. Local manufacturers are audited once per year compared to checks for every batch of imported cement. The DTI said it was going to impose a provisional tariff on imported cement in early 2019.

China: Tianrui Cement sales revenue rose by 19.5% year-on-year to US$1.5bn in 2018 from US$1.25bn in 2017. It attributed the growth to a 15% increase in the price of cement. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 15.3% to US$573m from US$497m. Its sales volumes of cement remained stable at 29.4Mt compared to 29.3Mt in 2017.

Philippines: Republic Cement plans to install bag filters on its clinker conveyors, cement mills and packaging lines at its Batangas and Teresa plants in 2019 to replace electrostatic precipitators. It follows the installation of kiln bag filters, according to the Business Mirror newspaper. Following the upgrade it reduced its dust emissions by 75% to 20mg/Nm³, below the national limit of 150mg/Nm³. The cement producer is also considering building concrete roads at its unit to further reduce dust emissions.