China: Germany’s Wacker Group has opened a new competence centre for cement and concrete applications in Shanghai. The laboratory will develop silicone based products and solutions which are able to improve the performance of cement and concrete and to make these materials more sustainable. Special focus is on silicone admixtures and performance enhancers.

“As a regional innovation platform focusing on cement and concrete, the new lab will cooperate with leading Chinese universities, research institutions and the industry. Its goal is to develop innovative products and solutions which support the sustainable development of the Chinese construction materials industry,” said Paul Lindblad, president of Wacker Greater China.

At its new competence centre in Shanghai, Wacker will be able to investigate how silicone chemistry can protect cement and concrete against environmental influences and, at the same time, improve the durability of these materials.

Argentina: Loma Negra and tyre manufacturer Bridgestone have started a partnership to re-use water in the Llavallol suburb of Buenos Aires. Bridgestone will provide Loma Negra with 200,000l/days of filtered water for use at its operations, according to the Mercado newspaper. In return Loma Negra will use less water from the local aquifer.

Colombia: Cemex Colombia has reached a deal with the Attorney General allowing it to operate its Maceo cement plant in Antioquia. Under the terms of the government-brokered agreement Cemex will lease the land from CI Calizas y Minerales for around US$15,000/yr, according to the El Espectador newspaper. The lease has a duration of 21 years and this can be extended by another 10 years.

In 2016 Cemex fired several senior staff members in relation to the Maceo project and its subsidiary’s chief executive resigned. This followed an internal audit and investigation into payments worth around US$20.5m made to a non-governmental third party in connection with the acquisition of the land, mining rights and benefits of the tax free zone for the project. The US Department of Justice is also investigating the project.

Ireland: CRH has appointed Bank of America to sell its European Distribution business. The sale is valued at around Euro2bn and is expected to start in May 2019, according to sources quoted by Reuters. Private equity companies including Advent, Lone Star and CVC have been linked to the sale. CRH is due to issue a trading updating in late April 2019.