Quarry Products

France’s construction materials market saw a decline in sales during the final quarter of 2014. Ready-mixed concrete sales were down 9.9% year-on-year for the quarter, and down 1.3% compared Q3 2014. For December alone, a 9.7% fall year-on-year was seen. A 5% dip was recorded for the year as a whole. As for aggregates, sales were down 11.3% year-on-year for the quarter and down 1.7% compared to the third quarter of 2014. December alone recorded a 7.5% decline in aggregate sales compared to December 2013, wh

CRH has confirmed it is in talks with Lafarge and Holcim over the possible acquisition of some assets from the soon to merge French and Swiss cement giants.

A company spokesperson said: “CRH notes the recent press speculation and confirms that it is in discussions with Lafarge and Holcim regarding the potential acquisition of certain assets being disposed of by Lafarge and Holcim in advance of their proposed merger.

“While there can be no certainty that these discussions will result in a transaction,

US-based banking and financial services provider JPMorgan Chase & Co is reported to have increased its shareholding in China-based Anhui Conch Cement Company to 14% by purchasing 186,099 shares at a price of HKD 24.45 (€2.49/US$3.15) each. On completion of the deal, JPMorgan owns 182 million shares in the cement company.

Estonian Talot, a privately held prefabricated concrete elements producer located at Maardu, near Tallinn, Estonia, will acquire from Rudus the concrete products and production unit, workforce, contracts and property included at Lagedi. It is reported that Rudus will focus on the production and sales of commercial concrete and granite gravel.

Marine aggregates, naturally occurring sand and gravels found in the sea, are of growing importance as land-based quarrying faces environmental pressure. The geological origin and mineral composition are the same as land-based sands and gravels or aggregates and exhibit the same geological, mechanical, geometrical and chemical properties as their land-based equivalents, says the Marine Aggregates Information Centre.

“The shape, strength and other physical characteristics are generally identical to high-q

A leading UK independent concrete supplier has extended its range of high performance mixes to complement its existing array of quality-assured ready-mixed concretes.
Hope Construction Materials’ performance mixes – including HOPEFast, HOPEFoam, HOPETough, HOPEEco, HOPESeal and HOPEFibre – are said to have been designed by the firm’s technical team to meet specific construction needs, from high early strength and extra durability to waterproof and lower carbon mixes.
The range’s official launch follows la

Comco, the Swiss competition commission, has launched a new probe into companies in the gravel sector and the sector for inert material landfill. The companies being investigated are Kieswerk Heimberg, Kieswerk Steinigand, Kiestag, Kieswerk Daepp, Kästli Bau, K. & U. Hofstetter, Messerli Kieswerk and Kies Aaretal. Comco said it is looking into whether these firms had taken part in a cartel.

Indonesian state-run cement giant Semen Indonesia may scrap plans to invest in Myanmar if it fails to reach a pricing agreement with its local partner, according to the Jakarta Post.

A move to another Asian country or an alternative partnership with another local firm are said to be possibilities if the prices wanted by the domestic partner are deemed too high. However, Semen Indonesia says talks between both parties are ongoing.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, has decreased selling pri

Atlas Copco has launched a new Meyco mobile spraying unit designed for shotcreting. The Meyco Versa is the first Atlas Copco branded product to be launched on the market since the company acquired Meyco of Switzerland in April 2013. Atlas Copco Meyco, a global specialist in concrete spraying equipment, has introduced the Meyco Versa to meet the present and future concrete spraying (shotcreting) needs of mid-size tunnels in hydropower, road and rail projects.

“The Meyco Versa (as in “versatile”) is an all