Quarry Products

Spanish company, Grupo Cosentino, which specialises in stone, has chosen enterprise networks, data centre and collaboration technologies from Cisco to simplify its management and provide support to its growing business abroad.

The company hopes that the technology will enable it to reduce operating costs, standardise communications, improve productivity and manage the firm in a global manner. The firm's growth is based on internationalisation, innovation and new technologies.

It has been reported in the Oman media that FLSmidth has signed a contract with Oman Cement Company (SAOG) for supply of equipment and machinery for a cement plant in Oman.

FLSmidth confirms that this information is correct. If and when down payment is received and the contract becomes binding, the company says it will immediately inform the market.

Worldwide sales of cement are forecast to expand more than 5%/year through 2017 to over 4.7 billion tonnes, a slight deceleration from the 2007-2012 pace.

Following severe declines from 2008 to 2011 and stagnating demand in 2012, cement consumption is expected to rebound sharply in North America and Western Europe. Eastern Europe will perform much better as well. While growth in China is expected to decelerate noticeably between 2012 and 2017 after more than a decade of rapid gains, demand for cement in

Worldwide sales of cement are forecast to expand more than 5%/year through 2017 to over 4.7 billion tonnes, a slight deceleration from the 2007-2012 pace.

Following severe declines from 2008 to 2011 and stagnating demand in 2012, cement consumption is expected to rebound sharply in North America and Western Europe. Eastern Europe will perform much better as well. While growth in China is expected to decelerate noticeably between 2012 and 2017 after more than a decade of rapid gains, demand for cement in

Alliance is going to launch production of concrete and dust-pressed tile in the Lipetsk region (Central). The production lines' capacities will be 30-50m2 of tile and 30m2 of concrete per hour. The required investment is estimated at RUB 10 million (€222,129.04) with RUB 1.5 million coming from Alliance's internal funds and the rest will be borrowed.

The company was set up ten months ago.

Shymkentcement (a part of Italian Italcementi Group) will invest €58.12 million in upgrading cement production. A line for the dry processing of cement will be launched. The first lot of clinker will be produced by mid-2015.

VOLMA-Orenburg continues building the gypsum plant in Russia’s central Orenburg region (Volga) with several production facilities, electric power grids, an access road, and a gas pipeline having already been built.

The developer has contracted production equipment suppliers and the equipment is to be supplied between January and May 2014.

The plant is expected to be launched in late 2014 and to reach its design capacity in early 2015. At first, the plant will open up 200 new jobs, and another 800 jobs

France's national ready-mix concrete union (SNBPE) presented Holcim Bétons France with the socio-educational and recreational facilities award during the awards ceremony at the Salon des Maires event for its work using Articimo decorative concrete in the Velotte area of Besançon.

Holcim Bétons France used the concrete to create a rest and relaxation area for cyclists with outdoor games, a water source and a shelter.

Swiss cement firm Holcim is planning expansion in Mexico, after its two main markets in Latin America, Mexico and Brazil, started to show signs that demand will recover.

Holcim is said to be looking at developing more plants in Mexico and restarting operations in Peru. Executives at the company are cautiously optimistic about recovery in Mexico at the beginning of 2014.

Demand for cement in Mexico will increase by about 41%, reaching 48 million tonnes in 2020, according to a Holcim report dating from