The Americas

Venezuela’s new Minister of Industry took to Twitter to announce that the country is investing in expanding its cement production capacity.

Cementos Pacasmayo receives the first equipment shipments for its new Piura cement plant, while the company’s phosphate project receives approval for an environmental impact study.

Essroc’s Nazareth cement plant is recognised by the EPA ENERGY STAR programme thanks to energy efficiency improvements.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the company with a Sustained Excellence Award for the 10th year running.

The second part of this article on process gas analysis by Dan Kietzer, SICK Process Automation, USA, and Siegfried Andraess, SICK MAIHAK GmbH, Germany, which featured in the April 2014 issue of World Cement.

Dan Kietzer, SICK Process Automation, USA, and Siegfried Andraess, SICK MAIHAK GmbH, Germany, discuss the benefits of process gas analysis at the inlet of the rotary kiln.

Texas Industries, Inc. releases its financial results for the quarter ending 28 February 2014.

Despite reports of little damage to infrastructure, cement companies saw their share prices rise following the 8.2 magnitude earthquake on 1 April.

According to the USGS's latest Mineral Industry Survey, clinker production and shipments of Portland and blended cement increased in January 2014.

According to Venezuelan Minister of Industry, Wilmer Barrientos, cement production grew by 12% in the country in 1Q14, as the government continues to focus on ways to improve the sector’s performance in line with domestic demand.

Production of grey cement increased by 10.2% y/y in Colombia, according to statistics released by DANE. Domestic sales volumes also improved by 11.7% y/y during the month.

According to the Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico, around 1.27 million bags of cement were sold in February, down 12.7% y/y.

Some key facts on North America’s cement sector from World Cement’s April 2014 issue.

In the second part of this abridged article taken from the April 2014 issue of World Cement, Andy Winston, CLARCOR Industrial Air, discusses how improving control, operation and training can assist plants in complying with new NESHAP emission standards.

Andy Winston, CLARCOR Industrial Air, USA, outlines various methods plants can take to comply with the new NESHAP emissions standards in the first part of this abridged article taken from the World Cement April 2014 issue.