Europe & CIS

Some key facts about cement and building materials producers Lafarge and Holcim following the announcement that they plan to merge.

Many are sceptical about the competition aspect of the deal, which some have suggested will keep it tied up in red tape for up to two years. However, Imran Akram of IA Cement is upbeat about the news.

Increased spending in the Azerbaijani construction sector in January – February 2014 contributed to a rise in the country’s GDP.

Europe’s two biggest cement producers have announced plans to merge. Lafarge and Holcim would become LafargeHolcim, leading to incremental synergies of over €1.4 billion.

Holcim has confirmed rumours that it is in advanced discussions with Lafarge over a ‘possible combination’.

As part of its ‘Stay Safe’ campaign, the UK’s Mineral Products Association has released new public safety guidelines on the management of operational and non-operational quarries.

A recent Markit/CIPS Construction survey showed that UK construction companies maintained a rapid pace of expansion in March 2014, mainly due to an increase in housebuilding.

A new plant producing 760 000 tpa of grey cement and 350 000 tpa of white cement has been inaugurated in Uzbekistan.

The joint venture partners in Vecoplan FuelTrack GmbH have undergone structural and strategic reorganisation. They will now serve the cement sector’s growing alternative fuels market as separate business units.

Together the companies offer experience and references for the re-use and recycling of bypass dust.

N+P International BV will supply Cemex’s cement plants in Latvia with 500 000 t of solid recovered fuel over the next decade.

In January – Feburary 2014, Eurocement Ukraine recorded a 10.7% y/y increase in cement shipments and Russia’s Akhangarancement saw a 30% y/y rise in cement production.

Saxlund International Ltd is preparing to commence construction of an alternative fuel system for the storage, transportation, weighing and injection of SWF to the two kilns at Hope Construction Material’s UK cement plant.

The end of waste Quality Protocol (QP) for recycled gypsum from Waste Plasterboard has been revised.

EU stakeholders meet to discuss sustainable construction as part of the Concrete Initiative, which will be launched in May 2014.