News

The Ivorian subsidiary of Moroccan group Cimenteries d'Afrique (CIMAF) aims to set up a new production unit in San Pedro, Côte d'Ivoire, which will require a XOF 35 billion (€53.36 million US$58.28 million) investment.

The CIMAF subsidiary thus aims to strengthen its activities in the country so as to beef up its positions on the local market, before aiming to establish itself on the regional market.

Unevol is to be Sandvik Construction’s first distributor for drill rigs, rock tools and crushing and screening equipment throughout Cuba.

The company, an established name throughout Cuba, with offices, workshops and service engineers throughout the area, will supply a comprehensive range of Sandvik equipment, and will also be providing full aftermarket care, spare parts and dedicated customer service.

Thierry Loison, the regional director of Cemex Bétons Nord-Ouest, is to replace Thierry Flandre as president of the Ready-made Concrete College in Normandy, which is part of the French National Union of Construction Materials and Quarry Industries (Unicem). His term will last three years.

Pre-cast concrete products maker Sarawak Consolidated Industries (SCIB) will build a new factory by spending MYR 6 million (€1.24 million/US$1.36 million). The new factory will make concrete products for the Pan Borneo Highway project.

The company has secured deals valued at MYR 10 million to supply the products so far. Supply of the products started since October 2015.

Adhi Karya, a state-owned engineering and construction company based in Indonesia, has set a capital spending of IDR 1.10 trillion (€72.67 million/US$79.4 million) for its operations in 2016, with the allocation going to various investment projects (IDR 750 billion) and fixed asset investments (IDR 404.5 billion).

In the meantime, the company aims to achieve a net profit of IDR 750 billion in 2016, while its revenue target is set at IDR 20 trillion that will come from LRT projects (21.6%); pre-cast concr

By the end of 2016, Egypt-based Suez Cement intends to complete the conversion of coal usage for cement production. According to its chairman, Omar Mehanna, the cement producer targets to produce 11 million tonnes using the alternative energy source. In 2015, the conversion to coal usage at two plants out of five had been concluded by the Italcementi company, which is is investing about US$110 million (€100.71 million) for the conversion.

Saudi Arabia-based Qassim Cement reported that its net earnings for 2015 reached SAR 586 million (€142.95 million/US$ 156.14 million), a 4% improvement from SAR 564 million in 2014.

The cement company posted an increase of 4.6% in net earnings year on year from SAR 134 million to SAR 141 million in the fourth-quarter of 2015.

Semen Indonesia aims to increase its cement sales by between 5% and 6% in 2016 by shifting its business focus to the local market.

Suparni, the president director of Semen Indonesia, noted that demand for cement in the local market is expected to increase significantly following commencement of several large-scale public infrastructure projects in Indonesia.

HeidelbergCement has started its Aggregates-CI programme (Continuous Improvement) in order to continuously optimise the operational and commercial working processes in the area of aggregates (sand, gravel and crushed rock).

The new programme follows the margin improvement programme CLIMB Commercial that successfully concluded at the end of 2015.

Aggregates-CI will be implemented at all of the more than 500 production sites worldwide. The company says the process enhancements shall lead to sustainable

In December 2015, Lafarge launched eight BIM (building information modelling) versions of eight of its products and systems.

The BIM solutions relate to precast concrete and ready-mixed concrete.

As well as allowing engineers to determine heat aspects, the solution will allow construction companies to select the texture and colour they desire in order to visualise the final product.

IM is available on Thermedia 0.6 and Thermedia 0.45 ready-mixed concrete; Agilia self-consolidating concrete; the GB

In Vietnam, a four-hectare asphalt emulsion facility worth US$22million (€20.26 million) will be built by France Emulsion, a paving solutions provider, machinery and processes company, in the province of Binh Dinh.

The facility at the Nhon Hoa Industrial Park in An Nhon town has obtained the necessary construction permit approval, and is expected to generate jobs.

KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens, a worldwide manufacturer for the aggregate, construction and recycling industries, has hired Tim Harms as senior sales engineer for crushing and screening products at its Kolberg-Pioneer manufacturing facility.

In his new role, Harms will assume a sales engineering leadership role and act as a resource for the sales engineering staff. He will also help guide equipment selection for potential customers and manage sales opportunities in conjunction with the product managem

CECE (Committee of European Construction Equipment) has welcomed its new leadership team.

The team is made up of Bernd Holz (SVSS, Amman) who succeeds Eric Lepine (Agoria, Caterpillar) as president.

Giampiero Biglia (Unacea, CNH Industrial) moves to first vice president, and Lars-Göran Andersson (SACE, Volvo) has been elected new CECE second vice president.

CECE says it is looking forward to work with the new team, ensuring continuity in the workings of CECE and the strong representation of the sec