Cement news highlights: 27 – 30 May

Sustainability

Shortly after Cemex and BirdLife came together in Brussels to issue a joint statement in support of the EU’s Nature Conservation Policy, the building materials giant published its 2013 Sustainable Development Report. This revealed that Cemex is on track to meet its targets in key areas, while also outlining the results of its housing and infrastructure programmes and projects. Brussels was also the location of the official launch of The Concrete Initiative. Comprised of the European Cement Association (Cembureau), the European Federation of Precast Concrete (BIBM) and the European Ready-Mixed Concrete Organisation (ERMCO), the initiative aims to engage key EU stakeholders with regards to concrete’s role in sustainable construction.

Acquisitions, expanded services and product ranges

The most notable acquisition to occur amongst cement producers this week was that of Lafarge Cementos SA, Lafarge’s cement operations in Ecuador. The Peruvian cement manufacturer UNACEM will buy the 1.4 million tpa cement plant, which is located in the north of the country. Amongst suppliers and service providers, Mapei Americas has purchased US-based General Resource Technology, Inc. (GRT), a concrete admixtures and auxiliary products specialist for the concrete industry. DuPont Sustainable Solutions (DSS) has introduced a new operational excellence offering. This will help companies to enhance financial performance by increasing productivity and asset uptime. Meanwhile, FLSmidth Ventomatic SpA has consolidated its partnerships with Italy’s Imeco^® and Italmeccanica, enabling it to further expand its product range.

World Cement’s June issue

The June 2014 issue is now available online. Subscribers can access the issue by logging in. If you are not yet a subscriber then why not take advantage of our free trial? This is running for a limited time only so sign up quickly to be sure you don’t miss out!

The focus of the June issue’s regional report is the Indian cement sector. This includes an article by Ambuja Cements on supply chain excellence, as well as this infographic of key facts. In addition, the issue features an overview of WDF development and its utilisation by Lafarge Tarmac in the UK and a report on a pastureland project at a quarry site in Germany by HeidelbergCement.

Written by Louise Fordham

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/asia-pacific-rim/30052014/cement_news_highlights_27_30_may_2014_271/