News

Indonesian cement maker Semen Indonesia is aiming to spend US$500 million on capital investment in 2015. The company expects cement the country’s cement demand to rise due to government continuation of infrastructure projects. Also, the state-run firm predicts that its cement output will reach 40 million tonnes/year by 2017.

Terex Trucks has appointed Geoforce Trading and Services Corporation (Geoforce) as the official distributor for its articulated and rigid haulers in the Philippines.

China-based Shandong Shanshui Cement Group Limited (Shandong Cement) is offering nine-month bills worth US$243.09 million (CNY 1.5 billion). The company is to spend the proceeds on bank debt settlement and increased working capital.

World demand for primary asphalt, which is refined from crude petroleum or mined from naturally occurring sources, is projected to rise 3.6% a year to 2017 from a weak 2012 base to 121 million tonnes/year (734 million barrels), according to the ‘World Asphalt’ market report by Freedonia.

An eagerly awaited new asphalt plant was recently officially opened at Wight Building Materials’ owned Blackwater Quarry in St George’s Down, Isle of Wight. Officially opened by Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner, the €4.38 million (£3.5 million) state-of-the-art low emissions plant will produce quality, high performance products and innovative long-term sustainable solutions for the Island’s public and private highways network. The asphalt produced from the plant will service the needs of a 25-year PFI (Public

The value of Algerian cement imports were up 30.11% to US$283.9 million in H1 2014 compared to the same period of 2013, reports the country’s customs authority. The imported quantity is estimated to weigh 3.09 million tonnes, compared to 2.44 million tonnes in H1 2013, an increase of 26.55%.

The World Concrete Forum has published its World Concrete 500 - a list of the top 500 players on Twitter from the international cement and concrete industry. French cement giant Lafarge (@LafargeGroup) takes the number one spot, with Colombia’s Cementos Argos (@Cementos_Argos) achieving second place. “Congratulations to Lafarge on heading the first listing of the World Concrete 500. Their work has been outstanding in recent months,” said Martin Clarke, director of the World Concrete Forum.

German conveyor belts manufacturer, the ContiTech Conveyor Belt Group, has opened a sales office in Lima, the capital city of Peru, with the goal of building up a local service team that supervises projects on location. “Peru's mining sector is the fastest growing mining sector in South America. Many investments are being planned for the coming years. Furthermore, Peru has a large number of mineral resources that have not yet been tapped into,” says Silvia Braatz, director of Peru operations.

Aggregate Industries and Siemens today announced a landmark strategic partnership that will see over £2m invested in cutting edge technologies to serve the growing construction sector. The deal will see Aggregate Industries join with Siemens in a strategic partnership which will provide industrial equipment and support, with the objective of helping the business improve productivity, energy consumption and reduce both firms environmental impact.

Greek cement producer Titan says its second-quarter net profit more than doubled thanks to strong growth in the United States, increasing to US$18.6 million (€13.9 million) from $7 million (€5.3 million) in the same period last year. Titan was hit by the US housing market and Greek debt crises but has fared better since last year thanks to a recovery in demand for building materials in the United States and the kick-start of a major toll road project in Greece.