News

The PAN Institute of Fundamental Technological Research; NCBJ Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials and the Hydrobudowa-1 company are starting a 3.2 million PLN (€769,000) joint research project to modernise concrete radiation shields.

The project is welcomed by all companies that are likely to participate in development of the first nuclear power plant in Poland.

The objective of the project is to develop a new technology for producing concrete shielding with improved functionality. The techn

Worldwide demand for salt is predicted to rise by 2.7%/year between 2013 and 2018, but Asia, particularly China and India, will continue to drive growth in demand, according to a new report by London-based Roskill.

Asian salt consumption alone is projected to rise by nearly 5%/year to 2018 and by then the region is forecast to account for nearly half of the world salt demand.

Much of the additional demand up to 2018 will originate from the chemicals sector, with growth in world chloralkali production

Leading environmental company, SLR Consulting has appointed David Sandbrook (pictured) to its UK management board as director responsible for the company’s Planning and Estate Management, Highway and Transportation, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage and Acoustics teams.

He joined SLR in 2004, and has over 25 years’ experience and is a Chartered Town Planner; Fellow of the Institute of Quarrying as well as a Chartered Wastes Manager.

Working mostly out of the company’s Nottingham and London offices, E

The Association of British Mining Equipment Companies (ABMEC) will lead a high-profile mission to the 4th Mongolia Mining Exhibition, taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 10-12 April 2014.

With the GDP of Mongolia varying between 11% and 17% growth in recent years, mining is a key driver, and landmark projects are preparing for production. The country is rich in natural resources and ideally situated just north of resource-hungry China. According to the National Statistical Office (NSO) preliminary esti

The UK’s first Dressta dozer has been deployed to the high profile Chesil Beach flood defence works in Portland, County Dorset, southern England, where it has been working as part of the fleet of machines working for the UK Environment Agency in conjunction with military kit from the Royal Engineers.

This machine was part of a recent large order received by Portsmouth-based Construction Plant & Machinery Sales to supply Chinese machines including 20 LiuGong excavators for J. Ffrench Plant Hire of Iver,

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is celebrating after its ECR88D short swing radius compact excavator received a prestigious accolade for innovative product design, the iF product design award.

The internationally renowned quality label recognises outstanding design achievement, and has been doing so for more than 60 years, and this year 3,249 products were entered from around the world.

The ECR88D, designed for use in confined areas, was awarded the prestigious prize in category 1: transporta

Hexagon, a leading global provider of design, measurement and visualisation solutions, has acquired Aibotix, a manufacturer of intelligent multicopter systems for high efficiency aerial applications.

The acquisition strengthens the Life of Mine solution offered by Leica Geosystems Mining.

Headquartered in Kassel, Germany, Aibotix is the maker of Aibot X6, a new generation of vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Intelligent, autonomous and safe, the multi-rotor platform is desig

CRH is sounding an optimistic note as it presents its 2013 results for the year to 31 December.

“The review of our portfolio announced in November 2013 aims to re-set the group for growth. While this has resulted in significant non-cash impairment charges, we believe that dynamic allocation and reallocation of resources to optimise the portfolio, together with our traditional tight cost control and capital discipline and our relentless focus on returns, will be key to driving growth and to rebuilding ret

According to Reshenie company, the ready-mix concrete market of St Petersburg, Russia, and the Leningrad region grew to 6.1 million m³ in volume and to RUB 20 billion (€410.12million) in value in 2013 (5% up on 2012).

The largest manufacturers are LSR (captures 16% of the market), TSK Beton (7%), Beaton (6%), LenStroyDetal (5%), Betonika (5%), Leader Beton (5%), Prommonolit (5%) and Molodoi Udarnik (5%).

Intesco Research Group estimates exports of cement from Russia to have reduced 10% in 2013. In January to June 2013, 73,000tonnes of cement was exported, mostly to Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

In 2012, exports of cement shrank by 770,000tonnes compared to 2010. Experts attribute the fall to Russia's having entered the World Trade Organisation.

Cement consumption in Spain started 2014 with a fall. In January, demand was down 13.6% at 764,011tonnes, with the sector failing to show signs of a recovery.

In 2013, cement consumption was down 20%, marking the sixth year in a row of double-digit falls. It has been forecast that in the whole of 2014 consumption will be down by 7% to 8%. It is thought that domestic demand will be around 10 million tonnes for the year, with consumption per capita being 220kg per inhabitant.

Dutch company ENCI is to be allowed to continue producing cement temporarily even though the Raad van State did not approve its permit.

The province of Limburg has given it a temporary permit to give it time to carry out a new study into the effects of its production on the nature surrounding it.

In 2013, Kuwait Portland Cement's total assets stood at KWD 74 million (€190.76 million) by the end of the year, with a net profit of KWD 7.85 million recorded for its operation in the year.

By comparison, its assets had been KWD 72.10 million in 2012, while net profit had been lower at KWD 7.28 million.