Cement News tagged under: Australia

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Boral announces further job cuts in new restructuring plan

17 January 2013, Published under Cement News

Building materials major Boral has announced a further round of job cuts, predominantly across its Australian operations, following a 100-day review of the company by its chief executive Mike Kane . The company is to cut 700 functional, operational support and managerial positions jobs in Australia. Of those 700, some 200 have already occurred in late 2012, with the majority of redundancies expected to be completed by March 2013.  New South Wales is to bear the brunt of the cuts, accou...

Union meets workers over Boral job cuts, Austraila

11 December 2012, Published under Cement News

The Australian Workers Union (AWU) is meeting today with workers who are expected to lose their jobs at Boral's Waurn Ponds cement plant in Victoria, Australia, according to reports by ABC News. Around 90 jobs are likely to be axed, after a restructure of the company's operations. Union spokesman Cesar Melhem says the workers are devastated, adding that the decision will have a flow-on affect to other trades, including subcontractors, in the area. Last week Boral announced that it would ha...

Adelaide Brighton signs agreements with Japanese suppliers

04 December 2012, Published under Cement News

Adelaide Brighton has entered into two clinker import supply agreements with Japanese suppliers. These agreements secure a significant part of this requirement from the Japanese suppliers, with terms of seven and 10 years. The contracts represent the continuation of existing strong relationships and a diversified supply base, while at the same time reducing exposure to fluctuations in the exchange rate. Adelaide Brighton's imports of cementitious products, including grey and white clinker...

Adelaide Brighton acquires 30% in Malaysian white cement producer

03 December 2012, Published under Cement News

Adelaide Brighton Limited has entered into an agreement to acquire 30 per cent of white cement producer Aalborg Portland Malaysia Sdn Bhd (APM). The acquisition price for the 30 per cent equity stake in APM is US$29.7m including US$2.3m for 30 per cent of the net cash on hand, plus transaction costs of about US$0.4m. Completion is expected on 5 December 2012. APM's facility is situated in Ipoh, on the west coast of the Malaysian Peninsula, approximately 180km north of Kuala Lumpur. It ...

Holcim Australia to make cutbacks

30 October 2012, Published under Cement News

Holcim Australia is expected to lay off 150 staff and mothball up to 30 plants as it adjusts to challenging market conditions.  According to reports by the Financial Review of Australia, the Swiss cement producer expects to mothball or close about 10 per cent of its sites in Australia when it completes an organizational review this week. Holcim Australia chief executive Mark Campbell said the review had taken softer market conditions, including a recent slowdown in the mining sector, ...

Adelaide Brighton full year earnings on track, Australia

04 October 2012, Published under Cement News

Adelaide Brighton has confirmed it is on track to meet its 2011-12 earnings guidance, underpinned by its exposure to the resource and infrastructure sectors. Speaking to the Australian Financial Review, Adelaide Brighton managing director Mark Chellew said the group’s 2012 financial year net profit guidance was between A145m-155m. Although the group has been hit by a slowdown in the residential sector, it has reviewed its resources-based cement exposure and was not expecting any fall in ce...

Boral announces new CEO, Australia

18 September 2012, Published under Cement News

Mike Kane has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Boral Limited, effective 1 October 2012. Mike Kane will replace Ross Batstone who became Boral’s Chief Executive Officer in May 2012 when Mark Selway stood down from the role. At that time the Board commenced a comprehensive international search for a new Chief Executive Officer. Mr Kane joined Boral in February 2010 in the role of President Boral USA. He has spent the past two and half years significantly realig...

FLSmidth strengthens customer services footprint in Australia

05 September 2012, Published under Cement News

FLSmidth signed an agreement to acquire the two Australian service companies MIE Enterprises Pty Ltd. and Mayer Bulk Pty Ltd. The parties have agreed not to disclose the value of the transactions.   The two acquisitions will complement FLSmidth's regional Customer Services set-up with a highly skilled workforce and full-service capabilities. The key markets of the two companies are currently the Australian and South East Asian mining industries.   MIE Enterprises Pty Ltd. and Mayer Bulk Pty ...

Mining company looks to restart Kandos operations, Australia

04 September 2012, Published under Cement News

Mining company Kingsgate Consolidated has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the owners of the former Kandos cement works in an attempt to revive production. About 100 people lost their jobs when the cement works owned by Cement Australia (part of the Holcim group) stopped production last September. The New Projects Manager Simon McDonald says it is one of a few sites that will be considered. "As you know Kandos was shut down last year with the loss of quite a few jobs and s...

Australia: market uncertainties ahead

03 September 2012, Published under Cement News

Challenging market conditions persist for Australia's cement sector due to weak residential and commercial activity combined with the potential impact of a new carbon tax which became effective last month.   Last year saw a decline in housing starts as rising interest rates coincided with the end of stimulus packages. In November 2011, the Reserve Bank cut interest rates by 25bp to spur the market into recovery although it was unable to stop further declines in financing approvals. Latest da...