CBR to acquire Scancem S.A. Cimenteries CBR and its controlling shareholder Heidelberger Zement AG announced that they have entered into an agreement with Skanska AB and Aker RGI to acquire for cash the 73.4% shareholding in Scancem AB that is owned by Skanska and Aker.

CBR and Heidelberger each intend to own 50% of the newly acquired shares in Scancem through a common holding company. The closing of the transaction will take place after the necessary authorizations from anti-trust authorities are obtained. The price for the entire issued share capital of Scancem will be about BEF95.7 billion ($25.1 billion).

Scancem Group also signed a binding agreement to divest its Finnish operations (Finnsementti and Lohja Rudus) to the Irish building materials group CRH.

Dyckerhoff plans upgrade for its largest plant Dyckerhoff Zement ordered a pyroprocessing installation for its largest plant, located at Lengerich, north of Munster in northwest Germany.

The contract, awarded to F.L.Smidth, includes a two-string, six-stage ILC preheater with calciner; two ID fans; a 4.55- x 50-meter kiln with two supports and hydraulic drive; and kiln erection services. The coal-fired kiln will have a guaranteed output of 3,700 mtpd. Commissioning of the new installation is planned for the autumn of 2001.

Vietnam gives boost to U.S. cement exporters The Vietnamese government has granted preferential duties on all American goods imported into Vietnam for all of 1999, according to Vietnam News. The move is expected to make U.S. cement more price competitive on the Vietnamese market. The preferential duties were introduced by Vietnam following similar actions from the American government on behalf of Vietnamese businesses, reported the news agency.

Trinidad Cement modifies Claxton Bay plant Trinidad Cement Ltd. ordered the modification of the natural gas main burner of its 1,080-mtpd No. 4 kiln at its Claxton Bay facility. The modification project is intended to reduce refractory wear and improve clinker quality. The Brazilian company C. Greco is in charge of the project.

Holderbank ups its stake in German firm Holderbank announced at its recent annual general meeting that it increased its majority holding in Southern Germany's Breisgauer Cement GmbH to 100%. The company operates a cement plant in Geisingen and a grinding station in Kleimkems.