News

The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association has unveiled a new resource to address an aggregates industry workforce shortage during the 2016 Annual Convention and AGG1 Academy & Expo in Nashville, USA (22-24 March).

The association’s Jobs Board is designed to allow aggregates operations to highlight the good-paying, highly-skilled jobs available around the country.

“We have heard from our member companies that they continue to face a shortage of employees,” said Michael W. Johnson, association presi

Materials washing specialist CDE is to create 110 new jobs over the next six years as part of a £6.8million (€8.65 million) investment into the business.

Northern Ireland-headquartered CDE designs and manufactures materials washing and classification equipment with applications in a variety of sectors: sand and aggregates, construction waste recycling, mining, specialist industrial sands and environmental. Its regional office network has a presence in Kolkata (India), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Cary (North A

Material handling equipment supplier the Finlay Group has appointed Rik Kiddle as its new sales and marketing director. He joins from Terex Finlay, the company’s primary business franchise, where he was global sales and business development director. He will lead the sales and marketing functions across the Finlay Group and will be responsible for strategically driving growth for the sales and after-market business.

He said: “I am very excited to be joining the Finlay Group and it’s an opportunity I’m ve

In February 2016, the price index of construction materials for new buildings dropped by 2.3%, compared with February 2015, and by 0.2% compared with January this year, according to recent data released by the national statistics office ELSTAT. In the March 2015-February 2016 period, the index fell by 2%, compared with the corresponding period in the previous term.

A study by Amikron-Consulting shows that the Russian cement market contracted in 2015 due to a decrease in construction volumes. Cement prices in 2015 remained at the same level, and as of October 2015 the profitability of cement manufacturers had decreased by 1.1% compared to October 2014, to 13.9%. Market players also have significant credit load with, for example, some cement plants paying over RUB 1 billion (€12.98 million/US$14.62 million) interest on loans a year.

The industry is also negatively a

Integrated Capital (IC), the capital markets arm of UAE-based Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG) will buy a 10% stake in Falcon Cement Company from GFH Financial Group.

A sale agreement in this regard has been sealed between GFH and IC, which is also interested in underwriting Falcon Cement's initial public offering planned later in 2016 on the Bahrain Bourse.

The IPO is subject to the receipt of regulatory and internal approvals.

Sandvik Construction has appointed Victoria Equipment is its new distributor in Uganda. In addition to supplying a comprehensive range of Sandvik equipment, the company will also be providing full aftermarket care, spare parts and dedicated customer service.

The appointment of Victoria Equipment is said to demonstrate Sandvik Construction’s commitment to locally focused customer support.

Part of the GMACH Group of companies which was formed in 1960, Victoria Equipment is an established name in Uganda,

Hanson Cement has appointed Robert Keough as technical development manager at its site in Ketton, county Rutland, central England. Keough has two years’ experience working for Hanson UK’s parent company, HeidelbergCement Group, as an engineer in training, giving him a firm foundation in the organisation’s values. During this time he worked in the continuous improvement team where he focussed on reducing costs and increasing operational performance across the aggregates business. The holder of a First Class

Tarmac, a leading UK sustainable building materials and construction solutions company, has hosted a visit from Derek Mackay, Scottish Government Minister for Transport and Islands at its Craiginches Sidings rail freight depot in Aberdeen. MSP Mackay learned of the role the company plays in Scotland’s rail freight and construction sectors, and conducted the official naming ceremony of Tarmac’s new locomotive, Dunbar.

The Minister was shown around the site by Chris Swan, senior manager rail and shipping f

Marangoni Retreading Systems has expanded its business in Spain with its new partnership with Louzán S.L, one of the country’s leading quality retreaders.

The move is said to be the latest example of the Italian firm’s response to major changes in the retreading industry in recent years.

Louzán S.L. was founded in the 1940s in Galicia, with tyre retreading as its core business. Over the years the company has, due to increasing demand, expanded its business to offer other services for fleets, also open