Cement News tagged under: USA

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Lhoist North America to construct new lime kiln at Marble Falls

14 May 2020, Published under Cement News

After extensive technical review, Lhoist North America has received permit approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for construction of a new energy-efficient lime kiln at its Marble Falls, Texas facility. The regulatory approval paves the way for Lhoist to begin construction on the significant expansion at the facility. The new vertical kiln, which is expected to be operational in 2021, is primarily driven by growing demand for Lhoist's high purity dolomitic lime product...

US and Puerto Rico February Portland and blended cement shipments up 13%

13 May 2020, Published under Cement News

Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the USA and Puerto Rico advanced 13 per cent YoY in February 2020 to 6.4Mt, reports the US Geological Survey (USGS). The top five state markets were Texas, California, Florida, Arizona and Georgia, which accounted for a total share of 49 per cent of the month’s shipments. The leading producing states for Portland and blended cement were Texas, California, Missouri, Florida, and Alabama. Masonry cement shipments were up sl...

Buzzi Unicem records 1Q20 net sales of EUR688.5m

12 May 2020, Published under Cement News

Buzzi Unicem has released its 1Q20 results which saw net sales reach EUR688.5m, up 4.9 per cent on 1Q19. Cement sales rose by 0.4 per cent to 6Mt, while concrete volumes fell by 3.5 per cent to 2.5Mm 3 , compared to 1Q19. Net debt as at 31 March 2020 amounted to EUR525.2m, EUR46.6m lower compared to the year-end 2019. Since March production and business activities have been severely hampered by the outbreak of COVID-19 in Italy, Luxembourg and eastern Europe. Buzzi Unicem reports construct...

Votorantim sells Canadian quarry to Sunrock Group

12 May 2020, Published under Cement News

Votorantim Cimentos' North American business unit, St Mary's Cement, has sold an existing quarry with 1400 acres of high-quality aggregate reserves located in Burnt River, Ontario, Canada, to The Sunrock Group, a privately-held construction materials supplier headquartered in Raleigh, NC, USA. According to Bryan Pfohl, the Sunrock Group’s chairman and CEO: "The Sunrock Group is looking forward to building a strong Canadian company in the Greater Toronto Area that is poised to supply high qu...

GCC signs wind power agreement with Black Hills Energy

11 May 2020, Published under Cement News

Grupo Cementos Chihuahua (GCC) has signed a power purchasing agreement (PPA) with Black Hills Energy to supply GCC’s Rapid City cement plant with half of its power requirements in the next 15 years. By choosing low-cost renewable energy resources to power our business, we’re able to advance our business goals and sustainability objectives while also supporting the expansion of affordable, renewable energy development in the region,” said Ron Henley, GCC’s US division president. “Clean ener...

Pandemic to seriously affect global cement trade

08 May 2020, Published under Cement News

At Cemtech's live webinar on the 'seaborne trade of cement and clinker' this week, Ad Ligthart of Cement Distribution Consultants, gave a sobering outlook on global trade in response to COVID-19 and the many government lockdowns that have been implemented worldwide.  "Seaborne trade of cement and clinker will be seriously affected," said Mr Ligthart, adding: "There will be a global reduction in cement consumption and the result of that for seaborne trade and distribution is that the drop w...

Argos records revenues of COP2.2trn in 1Q20

06 May 2020, Published under Cement News

In the first three months of 2020, Argos (Grupo Argos) reported revenues of COP2.2trn (US$5.6bn), a figure that remains stable when compared to 2019. EBITDA, including the effect of IFRS16, was COP343bn, decreasing one per cent when compared to the same quarter of the previous year. During the period, the total volume of cement dispatched reached 3.6Mt, down 6.1 per cent, and ready-mix volumes fell 10.7 per cent to 2.1Mm 3 . "In general, the results were impacted mainly because of the clo...

GCC sees 11% rise in consolidated net sales for 1Q20

30 April 2020, Published under Cement News

Mexico’s Grupo de Cemento de Chihuahua (GCC) has announced an 11 per cent increase in consolidated net sales to US$181.4m for the first quarter of 2020. EBITDA also advanced 18.4 per cent YoY to US$45.3m from US$38.3m, with the EBITDA margin rising to 25 per cent from 23.4 per cent. "Both our divisions delivered strong results in the first quarter of the year, as the economic impacts of the pandemic weren't fully realised until late in the quarter. All of our operations are running at a st...

US Portland and blended cement market expands 7% in January

27 April 2020, Published under Cement News

Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico increased by 7.4 per cent YoY to 6.9Mt in January 2020, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS). Around 47 per cent of total shipments were received by the five leading cement-consuming states – Texas, California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Product was mainly manufactured in Texas, California, Florida, Missouri and Alabama. Masonry shipments slipped to 190,000t in January 2...

PCA writes to President Trump

24 April 2020, Published under Cement News

Michael (Mike) Ireland, president and CEO of the Portland Cement Association (PCA), has written to US President Donald Trump to express the need to restart public works programmes and designate the cement industry as an 'essential industry' that is also listed as a 'critical manufacturing' industry with the Department of Homeland Security. "Increasingly, the COVID-19 crisis and necessary government response activities, including travel restrictions, shelters in place, quarantines, and oth...