News

Cement giants Holcim and Lafarge have agreed on revised terms to allow their €42 billion merger to go ahead. A statement released this morning by the two companies said both parties had agreed on a new exchange ratio of 9 Holcim shares for 10 Lafarge shares. A new chief executive officer for the combined group, to be proposed by the Lafarge board and accepted by the Holcim board, will be appointed as from the closing of the transaction, the statement continued. The appointment is expected to be communicate

A new Terex Finlay 683 Supertrak inclined screen is helping a company ramp up production at its landmark quarry. The plant has been introduced by Finlay Plant Northern at Owen Pugh Aggregates’ Marsden Quarry, north of Sunderland, north-east England.

Supplying construction aggregates and agricultural limestone across the UK and overseas, the quarry has been in operation for more than 100 years and includes historical lime kilns, used to produce burnt or quick lime in the past, which are designated as a Sc

A new Terex Finlay 683 Supertrak inclined screen is helping a company ramp up production at its landmark quarry. The plant has been introduced by Finlay Plant Northern at Owen Pugh Aggregates’ Marsden Quarry, north of Sunderland, north-east England.

Supplying construction aggregates and agricultural limestone across the UK and overseas, the quarry has been in operation for more than 100 years and includes historical lime kilns, used to produce burnt or quick lime in the past, which are designated as a Sc

Camoplast Solideal, an off-highway tyre manufacturer, says it will introduce an up to 10% price increase for its Material Handling and Construction products in Europe from 1 May 1 2015. The company says the move follows the ongoing depreciation of the euro and other currencies compared to the strong US dollar. “The cost of raw materials, labour and shipping are all dollar-based activities for our business. Initially, we were able to offset the impact of this negative exchange rate with favourable raw materi

Growing demand for construction equipment in Thailand has led XCMG, one of China’s biggest construction equipment manufacturers, to establish a subsidiary in the country. XCMG Thailand has been launched just as new major infrastructure projects are getting underway. These include double-track railways, the BTS route extension, as well as some highway, airport, and wharf expansions. A company spokesman said: “It is expected that in the next few years in Thailand there will be 10% annual growth for the const

Saint-Gobain Weber, the French building materials group, has opened a production plant in Samsun, Turkey. The €10.86 million (TRY 30 million) plant is based in Kavak industrial zone (Kavak OSB).

The India-based Jaypee Group is reportedly in talks with Heidelberg Cement and Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Cement, to form a joint venture which will control the majority of its cement plants as part of an ongoing exercise to reduce debt. According to India’s Economic Times (ET) newspaper, the plan envisages a separate joint venture entity which will house around 20-22 million tonnes of Jaypee's operational units spread across Uttar Pradesh, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh and a new greenfield

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal that UK brick production surged 17% to over 1.8 billion bricks in 2014. The figure marked the first time UK brick production has topped this figure since 2009. An increase in housebuilding activity has been cited as a factor contributing to the increase, which is forecast to rise by a further 400 million bricks in 2015 as factories closed following the financial crisis are reopened. The pick-up in housebuilding activity also contributed to a 117% surge

The European Commission has given its approval for the planned takeover of Belgian company Joris Ide Group by Irish company Kingspan Group.

Both companies produce construction sheets and sandwich panels. The deal will not reduce competition.

Sifbéton, a new Moroccan company specialising in concrete products for the building and public works sector, has launched its new business. Total investment amounted to MAD 70 million (€6.63 million/US$6.95 million), which went towards two production units equipped with the most advanced technology.

Arabian Cement Company (ACC) in Egypt is installing a new renewable energy facility that will enable it to bring its capacity utilisation up to 100%. The company is currently running at about 80% of capacity, and coal makes up 70% of its energy requirements with waste and biomass adding another 10%. The conversion process is said to be scheduled for completion by mid-April 2015.

A trial for the commercialisation of dry slag granulation (DSG) is being carried out in China. The DSG converts blast furnace waste into an ingredient for cement is a new technology developed in Australia, and is the focus of a partnership formed between the Australia-based chief science body Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and Beijing MCC Equipment Research & Design to help reduce the use of water and greenhouse gas emissions. The DSG will generate a glassy substance that is sa