Kunda Nordic Tsement, Estonia, cuts workforce

In Estonia, Kunda Nordic Tsement of HeidelbergCement Group, is projecting a price hike in 2012, forced by growing input prices, such as electricity, oil shale, fuels, and other, says CEO Meelis Einstein.

Jaan Luts, chief executive of prefabricated concrete panel producer Tartu Maja Betoontooted, predicts the company's energy bill will soar by 20% over the next 12 months. The firm invested €40,000 in implementing energy-saving lighting solutions in 2011. Meanwhile, Meelis Einstein, chief executive of Kunda Nordic Tsement, expects the cement producer's energy costs to increase by between 10% and 25% in 2012.The company invested €400,000 in smart energy consumption solutions in 2011.

Estonia-based Heidelberg Cement subsidiary Kunda Nordic Tsement is reported to have commissioned Sweco Projeckt to draw up plans to expand its port facilities at Kunda. The expansion will include construction of four new terminals and a covered storage area and the company hopes to start work on the scheme next year.

Estonia's biggest quarry also operates the country's only cement plant, as well as a port. ABE visited the Heidelberg site to find out more

In Estonia, Tônis Meriste, director of development at Eesti Energia, says that the comprehensive utilisation and shale ash recycling should be improved. The mixture of shale ash with bitumen and crushed asphalt could replace granite gravel in laying the sub-base in road building.