Total shipments of portland and blended cement in the United States and Puerto Rico in August 2014 were 8.7 million metric tons (Mt), up slightly from the level in August 2013. Shipments for the year through August were 57.3 Mt, up by about 7 percent from the same period in 2013.
Read MoreYear: 2014
Mcinnis Cement Counters Quebec Plant Opponents’ Government Subsidy Claims
Responding to Lafarge North America charges of “enormous subsidies” behind a $1 billion greenfield cement plant and marine terminal in eastern Quebec, McInnis Cement contends: “The project has no subsidies [and] is being financed based on the merits of the business, with all debt and equity investors involved doing so on a commercial basis alone.”
Read MoreLafarge Praises U.S. Government Action
Lafarge North America issued a statement applauding the Office of the United States Trade Representative, which recently confronted Canadian trade officials at a meeting of the Subsidies Committee of the World Trade Organization (WTO) about the enormous subsidies pledged for the construction of a cement facility in Quebec.
Read MoreCement Industry Honors Mitsubishi Cement Plant for Outreach Activities
The Mitsubishi Cement Corp. (MCC) cement plant in Lucerne Valley, Calif., received the Outreach Award from the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and Cement Americas magazine as part of the 2014 Cement Industry Energy and Environment Awards. The Outreach Award recognizes facilities that strive to enhance community, employee, and government relations through innovative communications and programs. The plant participated in and initiated a number of…
Read MoreGreat Lakes Cement Shipments Rise
Shipments through the St. Lawrence Seaway and into the Great Lake region remained strong in October as North American manufacturers and cities stockpiled vital materials in advance of the coming winter and farmers relied on the waterway to export the new harvest.
Read MoreArgos to Expand Capacity in Colombia
With an investment of $450 million, Argos will increase its installed capacity in Colombia by 24 percent –9.5 to 11.8 million tpy – through a new production line at its Sogamoso, Boyacá, plant. Confidence in Colombia’s growth, proximity to Bogota and the majority of the infrastructure plan projects, as well as access to abundant sources of raw materials and fuels,…
Read MoreElementia to Buy Lafarge Stake, Considers IPO
Mexican construction conglomerate Elementia is considering a stock listing as it strengthens its cement business by buying French partner Lafarge SA’s minority stake in joint-venture Cementos Fortaleza, reported the Wall Street Journal.
Read MoreCTLGroup Brings Consultant Onboard
Hamlin Jennings, PhD, has joined CTLGroup as an affiliated consultant. In his new role, Dr. Jennings will consult on cement chemistry, cementitious composite microstructural characterization, concrete durability, and mechanisms of creep and shrinkage. Dr. Jennings’ work includes forensic investigations, new product development and applying new technologies for characterizing cement and concrete behavior.
Read MoreAir Cannons Hammer Preheater Buildup at Nebraska Plant
Ash Grove Cement has solved a buildup problem in the precalciner of its Louisville, Neb., plant by installing a network of high-performance air cannons, improving material flow and drastically reducing the need to hydro-lance. The series of 25 air cannons from Martin Engineering fires a powerful discharge of compressed air in a prescribed pattern to remove material that becomes adhered…
Read MoreLafarge, Holcim Notify EU Commission of Merger
Building materials groups Lafarge and Holcim have formally notified the European Commission of their merger plan to create the world’s biggest cement group, LafargeHolcim, reported Reuters. The all-share combination, which requires approval from regulators around the world, already has the green light from seven countries (Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, South Africa, Morocco, Kenya and Singapore), executives told reporters on a conference…
Read More