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November 2018
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World Cement
IN BRIEF
IN BRIEF
WORLDNEWS
USA
LafargeHolcim reopens cement terminal
The result of a multi-million dollar modernisation project,
LafargeHolcim has unveiled a restored and expanded cement terminal
at its Weirton cement facility in West Virginia.
The newly reopened plant, previously inactive for 10 years, will be
used to store and distribute LafargeHolcim’s speciality well cements
for the oil and gas industries in the Appalachian region. The project
to modernise the plant included expansion, construction of a new,
water-based off-loading facility, and the restoration of silos.
Well cements are specially formulated for reliability and quality.
Strong enough to withstand high temperatures and pressures, they
are often used for cementing work in the construction of oil and gas
wells.
Due to the Weirton plant’s superior footprint and location,
LafargeHolcim took the opportunity to work together with the
community to reinvest in the plant, increasing access for customers
and building economic activity in the region.
“We have made a significant investment in the Weirton terminal
in direct response to the growing needs of our energy industry
customers,” said Jamie M. Gentoso, CEO of US Cement Operations
at LafargeHolcim. “Demand for access to our oil well cement has
increased dramatically, yet existing distribution channels had grown
congested. LafargeHolcim can now meet and exceed our customers’
needs with this efficient, state-of-the-art terminal, which will support
the growing energy industry in this region for many years to come.”
During the course of the project, LafargeHolcim collaborated
with the Army Corps of Engineers, the West Virginia Department
of Commerce, the Business Development Corporation of Northern
Panhandle, and the local community. Significantly, the company
also chose to work closely with the West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection and the US Environmental Protection
Agency, ensuring that all permits, both operational and
environmental, were in place.
“Our goal is to build a diverse and expanding economy in the
Brooke-Hancock region,” said Patrick Ford, Executive Director of the
Business and Development Corp. “To have a plant this size in the Ohio
River Valley, just off a major interchange and four-lane highway, is a
great reflection of how we can mobilise the power of a community.
With the help of our partners, we are prepared to make infrastructure
improvements that will catalyse this plant and the surrounding area
for a variety of exciting projects.”
“We are pleased to partner with the people of West Virginia to
drive business growth and we are confident this terminal will serve
as a hub of economic activity for Weirton and the surrounding area,”
continued Gentoso. “This upgrade has provided business to area
contractors, added jobs at Weirton, and supports the energy industry,
which is so vital to the economy of West Virginia.”
LafargeHolcim was granted additional funding for improvements
surrounding site infrastructure and build-out from a conditional grant
programme: the West Virginia Industrial Access Road Programme.
Tan Sri Abdul Rashid bi Abdul
Manaf has taken up the position
of Group Chairman of Malaysian
cement producer, Cahya Mata
Sarawak. He takes over from Interim
Group Chairman, Dato Sri Mahmud
Abu Bekir Taib, who will resume
the role of Deputy Group Chairman.
Tan Sri Abdul Rashid has had a
distinguished legal career, starting in
the Malaysia Judicial and Legal Service
in 1970, before starting in private
practice in 1997. He has held several
key positions in Malaysian companies,
including the chairmanship of several
companies on the Malaysian stock
exchange.
CHRYSO has announced the
expansion of its admixture business
in Ireland. The business will
acquire Chemtec Admixtures Ltd,
a Dublin-based supplier to cement
manufacturers, ready-mixed concrete
plants, precast manufacturers, and
construction companies. The company
has operated as an exclusive
distributor of CHRYSO in Ireland for
the past 13 years.
Lehigh White Cement Co. has
committed to enhancing its product
offerings to the architectural concrete
and cement product industries
through an expanded range of white
cement products. The announcement
comes following the majority
takeover of the company by Cementir
Holdings.