The November issue of ICR opens with a timely interview with Mohamed Chaïbi, President of the Moroccan cement association (APC), to coincide with the AUCBM’s annual conference and exhibition which is being held in Marrakech over 10-13 November. Prospects for Morocco’s cement market, which seems to have reached a plateau after peaking at 16Mt in 2011, are examined in the context of long-term demand expectations.

Lafarge Holcim merger

Between 2007 and 2013, the cement markets in Europe lost a remarkable 119Mt in volume while the market capitalisation of the leading global cement groups fell by as much as 50 per cent. The extensive impact of these massive shocks is only now being fully reflected in the corporate landscape, as Lafarge and Holcim pursue their historic merger.

Leading industry analyst Jean-Christophe Lefèvre-Moulenq provides a full assessment of these remarkable shifts and asks: who’s next? “Europe cannot avoid a new phase of consolidation, which has been put on hold by the crisis,” argues Mr Lefèvre-Moulenq.

Africa

Elsewhere in the issue we present a comprehensive overview of market developments in east Africa alongside a contribution from Tony Hadley (ex-head of Lafarge Africa and Dangote Cement) in which he examines the potential of the cement industry in Africa. While Africa does have major challenges politically and economically, Hadley’s overriding view is one of optimism for a continent that promises to be one of the major engines of growth for the world economy as we move through the 21st century. Around 10Mt new cement capacity will need to be installed each year to keep up with anticipated demand.

Technically-speaking

The November issue is packed with information on emissions monitoring and abatement, and we feature an article extracted from forthcoming Cement Plant Environmental Handbook, published by International Cement Review, in which Votorantim Cimentos discuss the installation of an SNCR system and alternative fuel equipment at its Vidal Ramos plant in Brazil to reduce NOx.

Other features

•    Lafarge’s Mannersdorf works in Austria reduces NOx outputs with a Scheuch SCR installation.
•    JK White’s new plant opens in Fujairah (UAE), where it can produce white and grey cement from its innovative ‘swing’ plant.
•    A TEC describes the mini cement plant project at Cementos San Marcos (Colombia).
•    Magnesita outlines its eight-step refractory optimisation model for achieving high reliability and lower costs.
•    New products designed to streamline cement transportation and logistics are review, including vehicle tracking with GPS, aluminium bulk tankers and logistics planning software.

You can read the entire November ICR online, or subscribe for full access.

AUCBM conference, Marrakech 10-13 November
ICR looks forward to meeting delegates at next week's AUCBM meeting in Marrakech, Morocco. Do come and visit the ICR team in the exhibition (Booth C7)!