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A recent case in the UK courts relating to Value Added Tax (VAT), which involved very large sums of money, demonstrates some key principles of European Union law. Simon Trahair-Davies of Stephen Scown LLP outlines the case.

Cemex Paving Solutions has taken delivery of a new Rapidmix 400CW, the high-volume mobile continuous mixing plant manufactured by Rapid International. The plant was sold in partnership with machinery dealers DUO, and extends the capabilities for the Cemex division to deliver much more on projects.

The development of Tamtron’s Power wheeled loader scale has been fast during the last year, says the company.
A bunch of new features has been added and the user interface has been renewed, and the Power family has also grown with two new products. The new Power product launches and improvements set weighing into a next level,

The Russian market is well known for its rapid changes with local financial markets causing volatility in the construction market.
“As in many developing markets, the young construction companies in Russia are facing challenges in their financing,” says Adrian Wood, Metso’s vice president, sales support, crushing and screening equipment, who with Tommi Lehtonen, the division’s president, has been keeping a keen eye on the trends in the construction industry in Russia and other emerging countries including

Kolkata, India-based Adhunik Cement Limited has refuted allegations, said to have been made in a local newspaper, that the company’s factory has “been working without environmental clearance… ever since its inception,” and that “there have been serious violations of the environment.”

The company says this is the “context of an article published in the Meghalaya Times datelined Tura, June 7th 2014, titled Adhunik Cement Factory Working Without Environmental Clearance.”

In a statement Adhunik Cement Lim

It’s the time of year when attention turns to the latest major show in the calendar, which in this case is the Hillhead quarrying, construction and recycling event. If the state of the recovery in the industry is judged by this and other recent shows, then it is well advanced. For example, while not perhaps as industry-specific as Hillhead, but nevertheless a good gauge, the recent CTT 2014 construction equipment and technology show in Moscow, Russia, again attracted over 1,000 exhibitors, with organisers m

Aggregate production, and associated equipment, is expensive, and training operators is also expensive and time-consuming. However, modern simulators covering a wide variety of quarry equipment can reduce the time taken for training, and also improve health and safety. Most of the major construction equipment manufacturers have now developed, or are developing, simulators that make training much easier, safer and cost-effective.

Aggregate production, and associated equipment, is expensive, and training operators is also expensive and time-consuming. However, modern simulators covering a wide variety of quarry equipment can reduce the time taken for training, and also improve health and safety. Most of the major construction equipment manufacturers have now developed, or are developing, simulators that make training much easier, safer and cost-effective.

Terex Washing Systems (TWS) is to unveil details about an exclusive UK finance offer available through Terex Financial Services (TFS) at Hillhead, which is being held from 24-26 June at the Hillhead Quarry, near Buxton, England.

The company says the finance solution will include a package of 0% finance over 36 months, and customers can order their desired washing equipment from an official TWS distributor in the UK until 31 August 2014. A 10% deposit, plus value added tax (VAT), is required to secure the

A new turnkey sand and gravel washing plant from CDE Global is reducing excess fines to produce washed sands and aggregates for Bröderna Björklunds Grus at Olofström, southern Sweden. The rock and gravel/sand quarrying company, founded in 1922 by the grandfather and great-grandfather of the current owners, Peter and Thomas Björklund, operates three rock and gravel/sand quarry pits in Marieholm, Vånga Krossen and Fjälkinge. The owners bought a CDE EvoWash in 2007 to capture fine sand which was being lost fro

French group Unibéton (Italcementi Group) has inaugurated a concrete plant in Barentin (Seine-Maritime), France, which has a production capacity of 50m³/hour. Situated close to the future Austreberthe viaduct, the site will supply the construction project, which requires 10,000m³ of concrete.

The plant, which complements the 32 sites already located in the North-West, is focused around automation and respect for the environment.

The 5th annual Mineral Products Association (MPA) members’ General Assembly had the theme Maintaining Momentum. The event attracted over 120 delegates from over 60 MPA producer and associate member companies.

Nigel Jackson, chief executive MPA, said: “In the last five years I believe that what we have achieved on health and safety, carbon reduction, biodiversity, responsible sourcing, sustainable development, design of the built environment and improved external perception is profound because it is now

The Moroccan branch of French construction materials group Lafarge is looking to transform itself into a supplier of innovative construction solutions and has set an objective of an additional MAD 500 million (€44.57 million) profit by the end of 2015. The group has also implemented a new signature, Constructing Better Towns, and has carried out studies on 1,000 individual homebuilders to identify their needs.

Having established greater clarity and product advice as the main issues, the company has now a

The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has launched the new 2nd edition of its Facts at a Glance publication

The publication offers a comprehensive insight into the essential contribution of the mineral products industry to the economy and sustainability, as well as the challenges it faces.

Key facts from the document are 250 million tonnes is the industry’s annual production; £9 billion is the annual industry’s turnover; £400bn is the turnover of industries members supply; £120 billion is the value

Lafarge Cement might spend between US$250 million (€184.15 million) and $300 million to build a new manufacturing facility in Zimbabwe.

In addition, the company is also seeking for feasible limestone deposits to feed the proposed cement plant.

No further details were revealed regarding the project.

HeidelbergCement is preparing to sell its building products business, reports the Financial Times.

In 2013, the business recorded sales of €1.1 billion, down 10%.

In the latest business report, the company announced plans to sell the building products unit in the US, Canada and the UK to reduce debts.

Volvo Construction Equipment has inaugurated its state-of-the-art test and development centre in Hapcheon, Korea, near the company’s excavator manufacturing facility in Changwon. The new facility doubles the Volvo CE excavator testing capacity in Korea.

China’s TOP50 Construction Machinery Products of the Year has recognised two SDLG products, a LG989 wheeled loader (pictured) and a LG6400E hydraulic crawler excavator, in its 2014 awards. They recognise technological advancements in the construction industry.

Dowlow Quarry has been in operation since 1899, and at present it is set to go on for another 32 years. A plaque commemorating its centenary in 1999 is set into a wall in the quarry offices at Sterndale Moor, near the town of Buxton, in the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District national park, where quarrying has been a part of the culture for decades.

Major aggregates and cement producers remain upbeat about prospects although it was a mixed bag of first-quarter results. While Heidelberg Cement’s revenue and sales volumes increased in the first quarter of 2014 it made a net loss for the period of €108 million (€187 million loss for Q1 2013).

“Business development in the first quarter has strengthened our confidence in the outlook for the 2014 financial year,” says Dr Bernd Scheifele, HeidelbergCement’s CEO.

Lafarge and Holcim, preparing for a “mer