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India-based Grasim Industries has increased its net profit in the October-December quarter 2015 to INR 6.5 billion compared to from INR 3.34 billion (€45.42 million/US$49.20 million) in the same quarter in 2014.

The company has recorded an increase in its total income in the quarter under review from INR 80.35 billion previously, to INR 90.44 billion.

Grasim Industries has businesses in Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF), cement and chemicals.

In fiscal year 2016-2017, the company says it will spend INR

Birla Corporation (Birla) of India is said to be discussing with legal advisors to sue LafargeHolcim after Birla's plan to buy two cement plants worth INR 50 billion (€679.98 million/US$736.49 million) from Lafarge India (Lafarge) did not materialise.

It is claimed that Lafarge agreed in August 2015 to sell to Birla its integrated cement plant at Sonadih in Chhattisgarh and a cement grinding unit at Jojobera in Jharkhand along with PSC and Concreto cement brands.

The two plants have annual capacity o

Volvo Penta says it has significantly expanded its around-the-clock customer care service to enable the engine and other power systems manufacturer to offer global coverage in 28 languages worldwide.

The company’s extensive network of over 3,500 dealers is the first line of support for customers. Now, the global dealer network is backed up by Volvo Penta Action Service globally.

The expanded Action Service is truly global, meaning that all of Volvo Penta’s customers will have easy

A 2013 Caterpillar 324DL excavator, a 2013 Caterpillar D6K XL dozer, and a 2014 JCB 5CX backhoe are among the equipment models up for grabs at the next EuroAuctions Dormagen, Germany auction being staged on 10-11 February 2016 – with an 8.30am start both days. Call 0049 2133 479 3640 or visit www.euroauctions.com for more information.

Global demand for cement and concrete additives is forecast to grow 7.2% a year until 2019 to US$24 billion, according to a new report by The Freedonia Group. The US-based industry research firm’s World Cement & Concrete Additives report states that the increases reflect continuing growth in construction activity across the globe that will, in turn, drive global cement usage.

Meanwhile, increasing additive usage rates in developing countries, as well as a broader shift to higher performing specialty add

UK-based Mineral Products Association (MPA) member sales of construction materials were generally positive in 2015, although all materials except ready-mixed concrete (RMC) have seen more modest growth than in 2014.

Sales of aggregates increased by 4.8% compared to 2014, whilst RMC sales accelerated in 2015 (4.2%) compared to 2014 (+3.6%), increasingly influenced by infrastructure projects, with more modest contributions from housing. Reflecting slower housing activity throughout the year, mortar sales

Camso – formerly Camoplast Solideal – has acquired Southern Industrial Tyres, a long-time client, in a strategic effort to strengthen its UK Material Handling tyre distribution and service business.

Located in county Kent, England, just one hour from central London, Southern Industrial Tyres is said by Camso to have established a great reputation by having a fully self-sufficient on-site service for fleet checks, tyre fitment, professional wheel exchange, foam filling and puncture proofing, as well as en

Jan Willem Jongert is to join the Executive Board of Wacker Neuson as the German construction equipment manufacturer’s Chief Sales Officer (CSO). In his new role, 51-year-old Jongert will be responsible for the global sales, service, logistics and marketing activities of the Wacker Neuson Group.

At the start of 2013, Cem Peksaglam took on the responsibilities of the outgoing CSO in addition to his own mandate as Chairman of the Executive Board (CEO). Under the leadership of Peksaglam, the Wacker Neuson G

The World of Asphalt Show & Conference and AGG1 Academy & Expo 2016 are on track to post new records for attendee numbers and size of the co-located events.

Advance registration for the exhibitions and education programs are said by organisers to be tracking far ahead of past shows.

Attendees will find unparalleled opportunities to meet with peers from across North America and worldwide, to discuss business challenges and gain invaluable insights.

Angola’s government has decided to maintain restrictions on the imports of cement in 2016, claiming the country's installed capacity surpasses the current needs of the country. Only three provinces with borders (Cabinda, Cunene and Cuando Cubango) with third countries will be exempt from the restrictions. Each province will be entitled to an import quota of 150,000tonnes of cement. Industry experts estimate Angola's installed capacity at 8 million tonnes, while demand in 2014 was estimated 5.022 million ton

A resurgence in the Spanish property industry is said to be prompting a revival in the national cement sector. Cement consumption fell continuously for eight years, hitting a low of 1.8 million tonnes in 2014. The trend changed in 2015, when there was growth of 9.9%. AFCA has seven factories linked to it in Andalucía, southern Spain and domestic sales of cement from those factories reached 2.02 million tonnes 2015. That accounted for 17.5% of the national total. This figure remains far behind the 10mn tonne

Anglian Water is reportedly trialling a new green alternative to cement. Cemfree is made from an iron industry by-product and said to lower the carbon content of concrete. Anglian Water said concrete is a crucial building material used in its infrastructure projects. Cemfree is said to lower the carbon content of concrete from 913kg/tonne to 107kg when compared with traditional cement. The major water company has vowed to reduce the carbon content in the building materials it uses by 60% by 2030.

US-based Eagle Materials saw its net earnings drop 12% from a year ago to US$45.8 million in Q3 of fiscal 2016 (ended 31 December 2015). Its net earnings for each diluted share fell by 11% to $0.92 while revenue decreased by 5% to $277.4 million. Operations' cash flow increased by 66% to USD 108.7 million.

Moreover, earnings from its cement business rose by 11% to USD 41.8 million. Cement sales grew by 1% to 1.2 million tons and revenue expanded by 9% to $135.4 million. Also, earnings for its aggregates

The UK-based Construction Equipment Association (CEA) says it has underlined its commitment to providing members with greater value and market insight with the appointment of Paul Lyons as market information manager.

Lyons has spent 37 years working within the UK steel industry, starting with British Steel and – latterly – with Tata Steel. His connection with the CEA began in 2010 when Tata Steel changed its operating model to include industry-specific marketing and business development teams.

“I was

Komatsu, the world’s second-biggest maker of construction and mining equipment, said its profit was almost unchanged in the three months to 31 December 2015.

Slowing economic growth in China and the collapse of commodity prices extended the Japanese giant’s slide in sales to mining companies and builders.

Net income was US$320 million (38.6 billion yen) for Q3 fiscal 2016, compared with 38.5 billion yen a year earlier, the Tokyo-based company said in a regulatory statement. Sales fell 3.2% to 478 bill

Martin Riley, former managing director of Tarmac’s Aggregates and Asphalt business, has been appointed senior vice president of Tarmac. Cyrille Ragoucy, chief executive, has left the business after three years in the role.

Key findings are that while total supply exceeds demand, generally consumption of fly ash has increased from 50% since the turn of the century, climbing to 70% of total production in 2014. Meanwhile, consumption of furnace bottom ash is nearly 100% of what is produced annually.

The Liebherr Group says its provisional 2015 sales revenue of €9.248 billion is the highest annual sales revenue in its history. Year on year, the record figure represents a sales revenue increase for the major German construction and mining equipment manufacturer of €425 million or 4.8%In 2015.

CNH Industrial Construction Equipment – the part of CNH Industrial including the Case Construction Equipment brand – saw its net sales total €558.14 million (US$609 million) for the fourth quarter 2015, a decrease of 18.7% compared to the same period in 2014 on a constant currency basis (down 23.9% on a reported basis). The drop was said by the sector giant to be due to demand weakness in NAFTA and LATAM markets.

Caterpillar total sales and revenue fell to US$11.03 billion in Q4 2015, from $14.24 billion a year earlier. The world’s biggest construction and mining equipment manufacturer posted a quarterly loss of $87 million, or 15 cents per share, compared with a profit of $757 million, or $1.23 per share, a year earlier.