Cemex completes $2.8 billion tender offer for Southdown Mexico's Cemex announced on Nov. 6 that it had successfully completed its tender offer for Houston-based Southdown. Approximately 91.7% of Southdown's outstanding shares were tendered at a cash offer price of US$73 per share, or $2.8 billion.

"We are extremely pleased that the great majority of Southdown's shareholders responded positively to our offer," said Cemex Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Zambrano in a statement. "By quickly completing this acquisition and merger, we are now able to move rapidly ahead, combining our two organization in the United States for the benefit of our customers and of our shareholders."

Following the tender offer that commenced on Oct. 5, 2000, Cemex's indirect subsidiary, CENA Acquisition Corp., accepted for purchase the payment slightly more than 33 million shares of the issued and outstanding stock of Southdown.

Lafarge to increase slag cement production in Florida Lafarge Corp. said its Lafarge Florida Inc. subsidiary plans to increase its production capacity for SuperCem slag cement because of growing demand for the speciality product in the state.

Lafarge is studying various options that will substantially add to the company's existing production capacity of 250,000 tons of slag cement. The upgrade will include modifications to one of the company's two existing facilities in the Port of Tampa and nearby Port Manatee.

Ash Grove Cement acquires posimetric feeder Ash Grove Cement has ordered a Posimetric Feeder, manufactured by Pennsylvania Crusher, to feed the raw aggregate mill at its Leamington, Utah facility. Installation is scheduled for spring of 2001.

The feeder will replace the hydraulic triple gate system currently in service at the plant. Ash Grove expects to eliminate mill air in-leakage because the new feeder uses no internal flights or vanes to move material and provides a material seal at the feeder inlet.

PCA wins Project Impact corporate partner award The Portland Cement Association received the Project Impact Model Corporate Partner award from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its effort in promoting disaster-resistant construction through the Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant Communities initiative.

The Model Corporate Partner award is given to the company or organization that has shown innovation in implementing the Project Impact ideals throughout the U.S.

Most of the association's efforts have been focused on promoting safe rooms - small concrete storm shelters built within, or as an addition to, a home - through seminars, demonstrations, and media events.

PCA encourages its members to donate products and volunteer services to Project Impact communities and has provided training and awareness seminars at events across the country. The association has also installed a permanent display of disaster-resistant construction, including a safe room, at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Md.

Supplier news F.L. Smidth & Co. and Fuller Co. announced they will merge into one global organization called F.L. Smidth effective Jan. 1, 2001. The new F.L. Smidth is part of the FLS Group. Frank Gad, current head of the FFE (F.L. Smidth-Fuller Engineering) Group, will head the new organization as CEO. Day-to-day activities will continue to take place at the existing centers in Copenhagen, Denmark; Bethlehem, Pa.; and Chennai, India. The equipment will continue to be marketed and sold under the existing Fuller and F.L. Smidth trademarks. The remaining FFE Group companies will continue unchanged as wholly-owned subsidiaries of the new company.

Martin Engineering formed a strategic alliance with Nalco Chemical Co. to provide dust suppression technology for the bulk material handling industry. Martin will develop and manufacture application equipment for use with Nalco dust suppression chemicals.

ST. LAWRENCE CEMENT GROUP reported net earnings of $27.9 million for the third quarter of 2000, down from $33.1 million for the third quarter of 1999. These results brought the year-to-date net earnings to $39.6 million for the first nine months of 2000, compared with $50.7 million during the corresponding period of 1999. Due to competitive pressures, St. Lawrence Cement Group was unable to increase cement prices in most of its U.S. markets in 2000 and as a result, average net selling prices have been slightly below 1999 levels.

DR. MICHAEL VON SEEBACH, principal and vice president of Penta Engineering Corp., died in an automobile accident on Oct. 14, 2000. Dr. von Seebach was widely recognized as one of the leading experts in the cement industry. His career spanned more than 38 years and included significant contributions in cement manufacturing, emission controls and cement utilization.

HANS W. HAFNER will retire as managing director of Pfister GmbH in Augsburg and continue to work as a consultant for the company. His successor will be Dr. Huburt Wolfschaffner.