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Delivery of three new Sandvik QJ340 tracked jaw crushers a QE340 screen and a QE140 scalper is expected to boost productivity for contractor BP Mitchell. Mitchell provides a wide range of services to the construction sector and is aiming to boost its crushing and screening capabilities with the latest investment.

Strabag has strengthened its aggregates supply chain with the acquisition of the Germany-based building materials company Gaul. Gaul is the market leader in crushed stone, gravel, sand, asphalt and concrete in the areas of Frankfurt and Wiesbaden in Germany and has 10 sand and gravel pits and two quarries.

Promoting sustainable development is an important issue for the aggregates sector and the UEPG is helping to find methods to benchmark and promote awareness of these capabilities

Growing environmental awareness means that strategies to promote sustainable development are high on the agenda of most businesses in Europe. The quarrying sector is no exception and the European Aggregates Association (UEPG) has been working with the European Commission to help benchmark sustainability.

The EC launched its S

Judith Merkies MEP and supported by Commission vice-president Antonio Tajani and Herbert Reul MEP helped to officially launch the 2011 edition of European Minerals Day at an event in Brussels last night. The MEPs gathered with the EMD partners at the event to promote the weekend of events that will take place from 13 to 15 May across Europe. The aim is to promote awareness of the need for minerals with local communities and to underline the efforts made by the industry to protect the environment and improve

Recycling capabilities of UK-based WSR Recycling have been boosted following delivery of a new track mounted Terex Finlay 883 Reclaimer. The company is currently being used to process and screen green waste, including mechanical street sweepings, producing compost and soil improver suitable for use in landscaping.

Cemex has announced that it is one of the main concrete suppliers for the construction of the Gaoyin 117 project in Tianjin, China, which, upon completion, will be one of the tallest buildings in Asia. So far, the company has supplied nearly 95,000m3 of concrete for the underground engineering of the project. The 598m tall building will call for over 500,000m3 of ready mixed concrete to build the 117 storey tower. Construction work began in 2008 and will take five to seven years to complete. Cemex is the ma

It is reported that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering investing in Lafarge Aggregates Eastern Europe. Under the deal, the bank would grant €100million to the company and become a shareholder in the business in return. Lafarge is looking to invest the money in acquisition of new assets in the aggregates and concrete sectors. The bank is expected to decide on the loan in mid-December.

Developments in asphalt mix design are now being matched by hi-tech innovations in paving technology. ABE takes a look at one of these in action on site in Germany. Advances in asphalt mix design have helped to create road surfacing around Europe that reduce spray in heavy rain, create less noise and offer better skid resistance. All these attributes have been achieved by careful laboratory analysis to revise the aggregates used, the material size and shape and high performance bitumen binders.

GSM is aiming to improve delivery of aggregates in the Paris region with an order for two new 840tonne capacity barges from Poland. The Italcementi subsidiary will use the 40m long vessels to make deliveries along the Seine.

Cemex has reported that its sales in the third quarter of 2010 were down 2% from the same period in 2009 to US$3.8billion. EBITDA also fell by 13% to US$649million during the period, which the company has attributed to lower performance in the US and Europe. Consolidated cement sales volumes increased by 2% during the third quarter of 2010 compared with the same period in 2009, while ready-mix and aggregates sales volumes both decreased 3%.

Since its split with Fiat, Hitachi has been widening its dealer network and is looking to be the top brand when it comes to quarrying equipment in Europe. Claire Symes reports. Strengthening strategic dealer networks is a key part of Hitachi's plan to increase its market share in the quarrying sector, but the company is also looking to work more closely with major clients. Hitachi is introducing the concept of a key account manager to liaise between big customers and local dealers in Europe to ease the

Recycling will come under the spotlight at a congress organised by the European Quality Association for Recycling (EQAR). The event, to be held at Confédération Construction in Brussels on 26 May, will look at best practice from around Europe and look at aims for the future. According to EQAR, the event will provide a platform to discuss the state of building materials recycling in Europe along with ways and means to enhance the share of recycling.

Lafarge has announced the appointment of Kareen Rispal-Bellanger as director of sustainable development and public affairs. Rispal-Bellanger takes over the role from Olivier Luneau.

Holcim Espana has reported that its accident frequency rate fell to 1.2 in 2009 from 3.9 in the previous 12 months. The company records the index by the number of accidents causing absence per 1million hours worked. The company highlighted the 69% reduction during a safety and leadership awareness week.

Cemex has held a special ceremony at its quarry in Cassaber, France to celebrate achieving a safety milestone. The company presented the award to the quarry’s eight employees for reaching 10 years without accident.

Cemex has announced that it has made significant progress in relation to its global sustainable development strategy. “In 2010 we intensified our commitment to integrating sustainability into all aspects of our worldwide business,” said Cemex chairman and CEO Lorenzo Zambrano. “As the largest concrete producer in the world, we have both a responsibility and a great opportunity to help lead the transition to a truly sustainable construction industry, and to contribute to improving the quality of life around

Eurobeton has strengthened its concrete supply business in Russia with the opening of a new plant in St Petersburg this week. The new facility, which is capable of producing 19,000m3 of concrete per day, is equipped with machinery from Italy-based Simem.

Supply of sand and gravel to the south east of the UK will soon be boosted following installation of a new conveyor bridge at Cemex’s Bramhill Quarry in Hampshire. The new21.6m long bridge is part of a £1.2million project to open up access to 1.2million tonnes of reserves at the quarry and will carry material over a main road to the processing plant.

More than 100 Caterpillar customers attended organised by the company and its dealer in the region Bergerat Monnoyeur at Sagrex’s quarry in Overijse, Belgium. The Quarry Masters event was aimed at sharing best practices in order to deliver lower cost per tonne of operation with demonstrations and presentations.

Cemex has announced that it has won the Management: Collaboration category of the Forrester Groundswell Award in recognition of its Shift initiative. The company’s Shift programme is a platform for Cemex employees worldwide and aims to combine the elements of popular social networks, wikis, and communications tools to encourage efficient and meaningful company-wide sharing of innovative ideas and best practices. The platform was launched in January of this year and is now used by more than 17,500 Cemex empl