Europe & CIS

In November 2010, while the media was focused on the problems surrounding the demise of the Irish economy, and the knock-on effects this will have in the eurozone, the World Bank issued its EU10 Regular Economic Report.

Dyckerhoff Group’s sales for 2010 have reached €1.4 billion as expected, with cement volumes increasing by 5%. The Group expects a slight improvement this year.

Cemex UK has announced that it replaced more than 52% of the traditional fossil fuels used to heat its cement kilns with alternative fuels during 2010, up from 45% in 2009.

Laing O’Rourke has joined Novacem’s investment group as part of a £1.6 million round. Novacem also announced that its three existing financial inestors also participated in the round.

Hanson, UK, has launched a new asphalt product that reduces carbon emissions by 50% and is 100% recyclable.

Siemens’s new Sicement IT MCO (Mill Control Optimisation) has been installed for the first time in a ball mill belonging to Suedbayerisches Portland-Zementwerk, in Germany.

HeidelbergCement launches three-year financial and operational excellence programme: “FOX 2013”.

ABB’s Expert Optimizer has helped Nordkalk achieve energy savings at its Köping limestone plant.

Turkey’s economy is said to be in better shape than at any time since the Second World War, and the country is rapidly becoming one of the major emerging markets.

Lafarge is to sell its aggregates and concrete assets in Portugal, France and Switzerland.

Titan Cement Egypt is looking to further expand into ready-mix cement for potential growth.

The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has published its Sustainable Development Report 2010, which shows how, in spite of very difficult market conditions, the industry has continued to invest in sustainability and its performance in several key areas has improved.

In 2010 OJSC “Mykolaivcement” launched several new environmental projects, investing a total of €4 million. This investment continues the environmental programs of the company, which in 2006 – 2009 invested €8.7 million into improving environmental footprint of the operation.

FLSmidth has received a contract worth approximately €30 million from Russian Open Joint Stock Company Sebryakov Cement.

The concrete industry is making significant progress towards its vision of being recognised, by 2012, as the leader in sustainable construction.