Uganda: Geocycle has officially launched its presence in Uganda. The waste management subsidiary of LafargeHolcim will collect and burn waste fuels in the kilns of local cement producer Hima Cement, according to the Daily Monitor newspaper. At present Geocycle coordinates the management and use of agricultural waste fuels for Hima Cement, including coffee husks, rice husks, bagasse, palm kernels and sawdust. It has also started working with the Fort Portal Municipality to source municipal waste streams.
N+P appoints Neville Roberts as Managing Director UK
UK: N+P has appointed Neville Roberts as Managing Director UK for N+P Alternative Fuels. He will be based in N+P’s new UK office in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. His appointment follows the expansion of N+P to supply refuse derived fuel (RDF), solid recovered fuel (SRF) and its Subcoal product into UK domestic and European markets.
Roberts, a chemical engineer, has worked in the cement industry for over 35 years. He has worked for Rugby Cement, the Saudi Cement Company, RTZ Cement, Castle Cement, RMC and Cemex. Most recently he has been advising businesses, including N+P, on the use of alternative fuels. Roberts has specialised in production management and in particular the use of alternative fuels on cement kilns. Prior to leaving Cemex at the end of 2013 he was focussing heavily on alternative fuels in his role as Energy Business Development Director.
Lafarge Africa reports substitution rate of 46% at Ewekoro cement plant
Nigeria: Lafarge Africa has reported a record alternative fuels substitution rate of up to 46% at its Ewekoro cement plant. The cement producer reported that its energy optimisation strategy achieved strong performance compensating for gas shortages at a relatively low cost. It added that made progress during the first quarter of 2017 towards initial alternative fuels conversion work at its Mfamosing line II at Ashaka Cement.
Cementos Cosmos stops exports from Niebla plant due to fuel costs
Spain: Cementos Cosmos has stopped exports from its Niebla cement plant due to an increase in the price of petcoke. The subsidiary of Brazil’s Votorantim has also implemented a Temporary Regulation of Employment from June 2017 to May 2018 that will enable it to suspend workers or reduce working hours, according to the Huelva Información newspaper. The cement producer says it is waiting for planning permission to install a dosing system for waste fuels that will cut it fuel bill. However, the local community has opposed attempts to use alternative waste fuels previously.