Europe & CIS

The UK government has released an update for its construction pipeline, which includes £127 billion-worth of investment to 2020.

Metso Corporation has entered into an agreement for the sale of its Process Automation Systems business to Valmet for an enterprise value of €340 million.

Scotland’s construction sector reported an extremely successful 4Q14, according to the Scottish Chambers of Commerce’s Quarterly Business Survey.

A look at some of this week’s news from the global cement sector, from industry appointments to new partnerships.

In the second part of this abridged article from the January 2015 issue, Buzzi Unicem’s Giovanni Battista Auxilia and Stefano Comoglio outline the different stages of a recent AF project at Cement Hranice.

Bloomberg has reported that CRH and groups led by Blackstone Group LP (BX) and CVC Capital Partners Ltd may be among those who have placed bids for the assets proposed for divestment by Lafarge and Holcim.

A round-up of the latest appointment news from the cement industry and related sectors, including the UK Green Building Council, Aggreko and 4B components Ltd.

Buzzi Unicem outlines recent modernisation projects to increase alternative fuels storage and handling capacity at Cement Hranice in the Czech Republic in this abridged article from the January 2015 issue.

The results of December’s Ulster Bank Construction PMI survey confirmed that activity trends in the Irish construction sector remained robust as 2014 drew to a close.

Tajikistan will reportedly bring six new cement plants online in 2015 – 2016. This will turn the country from a cement importer to an exporter.

The five-year contract is worth £41 million. Babcock will provide a fleet-managed service for its Heavy Mobile Equipment across the UK.

The UK’s Lafarge Tarmac has announced that it has entered into a Binding Option Agreement with London Resort Company Holdings for the sale of land that once comprised the Swanscombe cement plant.

‘The Engineering UK 2015 The State of Engineering’ report highlights the shortfall in skilled workers facing the sector and the benefits that meeting demand for engineers could bring to the UK economy.

Both UltraTech and Sabanci have reportedly backed out of the binding bids for the assets of Lafarge and Holcim being divested as part of their mega merger.

The Romanian construction industry increased in value at a compound annual growth rate of 3.78% from 2009 – 2013, according to a new report from Timetric.