News

88Chemco, an Australian fine particle engineering company, has launched its dust suppressant in southern Africa, specifically designed for quarry haul roads. Hydrogel is a series of polymers and surfactants specifically formulated for quarrying applications. It’s designed for easy application, and is diluted in water carts and sprayed directly onto haul road surfaces. The product enhances water’s ability to wet and bind fine particles by up to eight times more than plain water. “Our best result was a client

Four Holcim US projects received recognition during the World of Concrete conference at the 2015 Triad Awards in Las Vegas. The 2015 Triad Award winner was Pena Boulevard Concrete Paving with Envirocore project's complex coordination and state-of-the-art design allowed the main roadway into the bustling Denver International Airport to remain open while the project was executed. This project required thoughtful planning as the existing concrete pavement had severe alkali-silica reactivity damage, and the air

Vulcan Materials' non-executive chairman Don James is said to be stepping down as chairman of the board of America’s largest producer of construction aggregates by the end of 2015. US media have reported that he has told shareholders of his intentions which have then been recorded on a filing made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. James became chairman of Birmingham, Alabama-headquartered Vulcan Materials in 1997 and became non-executive chairman in January 2015 when he retired as an employee of

DG Khan Cement, owned by Mian Muhammad Mansha, Pakistan’s third-largest maker of the construction material, wants to build a US$300 million plant near Karachi as economic growth boosts demand, Bloomberg news agency reports. “There will be a shortage domestically in three years if there is 10 percent growth in demand each year,” said chief financial officer Inayat Ullah Niazi in an interview with Bloomberg in Lahore. The company’s two cement plants have operated near full capacity in the past two years. The

Finning, the leading provider of Caterpillar equipment in the UK and Ireland, has appointed Kevin Parkes as director of its equipment solutions division. Parkes will re-join Finning after spending four years as chief executive of Hewden. In his new role, he will be responsible for driving forward the equipment solutions division, increasing market population for both Caterpillar and Komptech mobile plant and equipment. In addition to equipment sales and service, Parkes will oversee the continuous developmen

An unfavourable currency effect of 5.2% and negative changes in consolidation structure impacted on Swiss cement giant Holcim’s consolidated 2014 net sales which fell 3.1% to €17.873 billion (CHF 19.11 billion) (up like-for-like 3%). Holcim’s consolidated operating EBITDA was down 3.8% to €3.504 billion (CHF 3.747 billion) (up like-for-like 5.5%) mainly as a result of negative currency effects and merger and restructuring related costs. In 2014, consolidated operating profit was down 1.7% in 2014, at €2.167

Marmomacc, said to be the most important international event dedicated to the natural stone sector, will be among the major players at FuoriSalone 2015 during the Digital Lithic Design Show as part of the Energy for Creativity exhibition-event organised by Interni Magazine at the University of Milan and Orto Botanico di Brera from 13 April-24 May 2015. The theme of Expo Milan 2015, Energy for Life, is developed here in a design, urban and architectural key.

In Tunisia, Mostafa Hamrouni, chairman of the national chamber of cement manufacturers, says that cement producers will take certain steps to keep cement prices under control. Hamrouni’s statement comes amidst rising production costs and is said to be focused on protecting consumer purchasing power. The senior cement manufacturers’ figure also suggested that consumers may want to buy directly from producers in order to pay a better price for their cement.

CNH Industrial – whose construction equipment division includes the Case Construction Equipment and New Holland Construction brands – is making key changes to its Group Executive Council (GEC), the company’s highest executive decision making body outside of its board of directors. Effective immediately, Derek Neilson is appointed EMEA Chief Operating Officer (COO) with responsibility for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, replacing Andreas Klauser. Neilson first joined CNH Industrial in 1999. An existing m

The UK Secretary of State for Education chose Finning’s headquarters as the venue to announce €2.16 million (£1.6m) of government funding, piloting an employee care scheme. Nicky Morgan recently visited the Caterpillar UK and Ireland dealer’s Cannock premises, alongside members of Staffordshire County Council and the Dove Service. The purpose of the new scheme, which will see €270,880 (£200,000) given to the county Staffordshire, England-based Dove Service, is to work together with businesses supporting car