The inside scoop on industry news, views, and products
The inside scoop on industry news, views, and products
Vol. 3, No. 3
Cemex SA, the world’s third-largest cement maker, extended its $11.7 billion hostile takeover bid for Australia’s Rinker Group Ltd. by two months while it waits for U.S. regulatory approval. Cemex’s $13-a-share offer for Australia’s biggest building materials company will now end March 30, the Monterrey, Mexico- based company said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange on Jan. 23. Cemex wants to buy Rinker because of its business in the U.S., which is focused on Florida, Arizona, and Nevada, the fastest-growing states. The deal would make it the world’s biggest cement maker. Cemex Chairman Lorenzo Zambrano said on Jan. 23 the offer is “compelling” while Rinker has described it as 36 percent too low. Shares of Rinker fell 8 cents to A$18.22 at the
market close in Sydney, which equates to $14.36 using the Rinker Chairman John Morschel on Nov. 29 said the Mexican company could “offer a lot more,” citing a report by adviser Grant Samuel & Associates Pty. which valued the stock at up to $17.74. Cemex is offering to pay Rinker’s shareholders in U.S. dollars, saying it can choose to be paid in Australian dollars at the exchange rate prevailing at the time of settlement. U.S. antitrust regulators on Nov. 30 said they needed more information from both companies before being able to make a ruling on the proposed deal. Earnings Report This also gives Rinker more time to find alternatives to the Cemex offer. The Sydney-based company will report third-quarter earnings on Jan. 30, when it may face questions from investors on its defense strategy. “The longer the process drags out, the more it plays into Rinker’s hands in that the worst of the downturn in the Florida housing market may be in the past,” Goldman Sachs JBWere Pty. said in a trading note today [Jan. 23]. The Department of Justice’s request for information was an indication Cemex may have to sell some assets in Arizona and Florida, where both companies have strong market positions, according to Andrew Dale, an analyst at Macquarie Bank Ltd. in Sydney. The regulators intervened in Cemex’s takeover of Britain’s RMC Group Plc for 2.3 billion pounds ($4.5 billion) in 2005, allowing the purchase only on condition it sold RMC’s ready-mix concrete operations in Tucson, Arizona, within six months to preserve competition. Cemex’s bid for Rinker would be the biggest takeover of an Australian company after a record year of acquisitions. Proposed takeovers in the country jumped to $200 billion last year, from $111 billion in 2005, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Cemex is advised by Citigroup Inc. UBS AG is assisting Rinker on its defense. (Source: Bloomberg/Bloomberg.com, Jan. 23, 2007. By Miriam Steffens. To contact the reporter on this story: Miriam Steffens in Sydney at msteffens1@bloomberg.net.)
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) on Jan. 23 signed an alliance agreement to work together to improve safety and health at the nation’s mining operations. MSHA and AEM have agreed to use their collaborative effort and expertise to provide miners who operate and maintain equipment with information, guidance, and access to resources that will help protect miner health and safety. This agreement will focus on the proper use of restraining devices such as seat belts, and it will also concentrate on hazards such as slips/falls from equipment, equipment rollovers and tipovers, operator fatigue, equipment fires, and equipment misuse. AEM is the international trade and business development resource for companies that manufacture equipment, products and services used worldwide in the construction, agricultural, mining, forestry and utility industries. MSHA is the federal agency charged with inspection of mining operations nationwide for adherence to regulations designed to protect the safety and health of working miners. Among other activities under the agreement, MSHA and AEM will do the following:
(Source: Mine Safety and Health Administration) The value of U.S. non-fuel mine production rose to $64.4 billion in 2006, an 18 percent increase from $54.6 billion in 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced. Strong demand from China and other countries continued to drive up prices for metals and some industrial minerals, and led to increased U.S. and foreign production of some mineral commodities, according to the annual USGS report, “Mineral Commodity Summaries 2007.” (See the March 2007 print edition of Aggregates Manager for a special report from USGS.) The rapid growth of the Chinese and Indian economies has driven the demand for metals and minerals and resulted in high prices for many mineral commodities. The USGS is the sole federal government provider of scientific information and objective assessments on mineral resources, production, consumption, and environmental effects. The agency evaluates these materials because they are used to make a variety of manufactured products contributing to our nation’s economy and national security. The estimated value of domestically processed non-fuel mineral materials totaled $542 billion in 2006. This is an increase of about 10 percent from $493 billion in 2005. Mine production of copper, gold, construction sand and gravel, lime, salt, and zinc increased, according to the report. The value of iron ore and crushed stone production increased, although the amount mined decreased. The value of cement, pig iron, and steel production also increased. Slowing demand for mineral commodities in the second half of 2006 led to declining prices at year-end. The report provides detailed information about events, trends, and issues in the domestic and international mineral industries during 2006. It summarizes mineral industry trends for individual mineral commodities and provides an outlook for domestic mineral industries in 2007. Separate chapters for about 90 mineral commodities include production, trade, and resources statistics. The USGS collects, analyzes, and disseminates current data on mineral commodity industries in the United States and about 180 other countries. “Mineral Commodity Summaries 2007” is available on the USGS Web site at http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/. A hard copy will be available in February from the Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents. Call 202-512-1800 (866-512-1800) or visit http://bookstore.gpo.gov/index.html for ordering information. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey)
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) on Jan. 23 announced the availability of more than $7.9 million in health and safety training grants being issued by MSHA in fiscal year 2007. “These grants are part of MSHA’s ongoing commitment to advance miner safety and health through funding training programs,” said Richard E. Stickler, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. Grantees will use the funds to provide federally mandated training to miners. The grants cover training and retraining of miners working at surface and underground coal and metal and nonmetal mines, including miners engaged in shell dredging or employed at surface stone and sand and gravel mining operations. The monetary amount of the grants MSHA is awarding in fiscal year 2007 is the same level as the previous fiscal year, because the federal government currently is operating under a continuing budget resolution from Congress. Training grant funds will be awarded to every state, except Hawaii, and to the Navajo Nation and Puerto Rico. States apply for the grants, which are administered by state mine inspectors’ offices, state departments of labor or state-supported colleges and universities. Each recipient tailors the program to its state miners’ individual needs and provides technical assistance. The grants will be given to the states upon receipt and approval of their applications. The Coal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1969 authorized the state grant program. States first received funding in 1971 to provide health and safety training to miners. MSHA’s primary mission as a federal agency is to help ensure worker safety and health in the nation’s mines. The following table lists the FY 2007 grants for the states, Puerto Rico, and the Navajo Nation.
(Source: Mine Safety and Health Administration) Takeover target Rinker has bought construction materials group Walling Sand & Gravel for about $40 million to beef up its operations in Oregon. Rinker’s CEO David Clarke said the area was an attractive growth market. “Walling is a well established business with strong market positions and is a good strategic fit for Rinker Materials,” he said. Walling is a privately owned group, which has a 25-percent share of the local market. The Walling purchase is the 12th bolt-on acquisition Rinker has made in the United States in the last 12 months, spending about $400 million so far. The biggest purchase was for a concrete and block business in which it spent about $100 million to buy Keys in Tampa. Rinker is fighting off a hostile $12.8 billion takeover by Cemex. The Mexican cement giant launched its bid, which Rinker has rejected, last October. Rinker chairman John Morschel said Cemex’s offer of $13 a share was unfair and unreasonable as the company’s independent expert had valued the company at between $20.58 and $23.04 a share. Cemex’s executive vice-president Hector Medina was sticking by its “full and fair” offer and was prepared for a long, drawn-out battle to gain control of Rinker. He declined to reveal whether Cemex would raise its offer price, or to say whether the offer was final. But he said Cemex was not afraid to walk away if it could not get Rinker at the right price. “We could simply not go through this deal because we have said very clearly, this is not a must-do deal,” Medina said when he was in Sydney in December. As Cemex was still waiting to find out whether its bid for Rinker has been approved by the U.S. regulatory authorities, it was unlikely it would make any move on its offer price. A decision by the U.S. authorities was not expected before March at the earliest. The company has resolved the concerns of the Takeovers Panel by offering to pay any charges associated with the conversion of the U.S.-denominated offer in Australian dollars. Cemex’s offer, which has already been extended once, closes at the end of this month. It is likely Cemex’s bid will be further extended. Rinker’s shares rose 5cents to $18.30, $1.84 higher than Cemex’s offer price. (Source: The Australian, Jan. 23, 2007. By Teresa Ooi)
The price of lumber is down about 10 percent from this time last year. That’s good news for the home construction industry. The bad news is that almost all other key materials for residential and nonresidential construction are flat or up from a year ago. This year will likely see a rise in materials costs, other than lumber, that will be twice the rate of inflation, according to a national economist. Ken Simonson, chief economist for Associated General Contractors of America, is calling for price increases averaging 6 percent to 8 percent for most construction materials in 2007. Tight supplies and growth worldwide will keep pressure on steel, cement, copper, gypsum and other basic building products, he said. Contractors, he said, will see a few months of relief because of the dip in diesel fuel prices, which drives up the price for transporting materials. But by the second quarter, diesel fuel, too, will start to rise. The price of construction materials is purely a matter of supply and demand, say economists and business owners. That s certainly the case with lumber, which has fallen since its high several years ago. “You have a certain number of lumber mills and capacity, and when you have high, high demand, it will put a lot of pressure on those mills,” said Stan Longhofer, director of the Center for Real Estate at Wichita State University. “And as it cools, prices ease.” Chris Goebel, president of Star Lumber, sells a package of lumber needed to build a 1,800-square-foot house. He sold that package for $11,600 a year ago. Today, he is selling it for $9,100, a 22 percent decline in price. That doesn’t mean a dramatic fall in home prices, of course, because the cost of lumber is just one piece of the cost of a home, along with the lot, labor and non-lumber supplies. But it does mean a lessening of cost pressure on homebuilders. Quentin Moeder, owner of Moeder Construction, said he hasn’t lowered the prices he charges customers. The fall in lumber about offsets increased steel prices. On the other hand, commercial construction is hot nationwide. Steel rose 5 percent and concrete rose 6.5 percent during 2006, according to the materials cost index from Engineering News-Record, a trade publication. That has a real effect on whether some projects can be built, said Curt McNay, a Wichita architect and developer. “You take a $3 million project and bump it 3 percent, you’re up $90,000,” he said. Building owners, in turn, try to pass the increase on to tenants in the form of higher rents, something not always possible in a highly competitive market with a lot of vacancies. (Source: The Wichita Eagle, By Dan Voorhis. Reach Dan Voorhis at 316-268-6577 or dvoorhis@wichitaeagle.com.)
One year after a fatal belt fire killed two coal miners at West Virginia’s Aracoma Mine, two congressmen say they want to ban the use conveyor belt mine entries as a means to ventilate underground working areas. Democratic Reps. Nick Rahall and Alan Mollohan, of West Virginia, yesterday introduced a bill calling for the ban yesterday, the one-year anniversary of the fire in which Donald Bragg, 33, and Ellery “Elvis” Hatfield, 46, died of smoke inhalation after becoming separated from their crew. The fire at Aracoma’s Alma Mine No. 1 on Jan. 19, 2006, started at a conveyor belt used to take coal to the surface. “The use of the belt entry to ventilate mines, as was the case at Aracoma, is egregiously dangerous,” said Rahall, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, in a release. The one-paragraph bill directs the U.S. Secretary of Labor to revise mine safety regulations “to require, in any coal mine, regardless of the date on which it was opened, that belt haulage entries not be used to ventilate active working places.” United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts praised the legislation as “a tremendous step in the right direction for making our nation’s mines safer workplaces. “Belt air is a killer, as was so tragically demonstrated once again at the Aracoma Alma disaster,” he said. But Luke Popovich, spokesman for the National Mining Association representing coal industry interests, said they oppose the bill because “banning the use of belt air as a ventilation system doesn’t correlate to better mine safety. Dozens of mines have safely used belt air as a ventilation system.” Historically, federal mine laws prohibited using belt air to ventilate because of the possible health and safety risks posed to miners from coal dust or fire. About 15 years ago, Mine Safety and Health Administration officials began allowing mines to petition for an exemption and eventually the use of belt air to ventilate became more and more prevalent. In June 2004, the administration began allowing general use of belt air to ventilate as long as mine operators enhanced air monitoring and fire suppression equipment. The mine workers’ union went to court in an unsuccessful attempt to block the ruling. At Aracoma, investigators found that coal had been allowed to accumulate near the belts and that walls meant to properly direct airflow had been removed before the fire broke out. The incident “demonstrates how deteriorating mine safety policies at MSHA have combined with insufficient numbers of inspectors and lax enforcement to intensify the dangers associated with the use of belt entry air,” according to the release from Rahall’s office. “The fact that MSHA has failed to withdraw the 2004 rule demonstrates to me that the agency is still not putting its duty to protect miners above the profits of the industry,” Rahall said. “If MSHA will not act to correct its mistakes, then the Congress must.” Eleven days ago, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration convened a new six-member Belt Advisory Committee to look at the dual use of entries to convey coal and to bring fresh air to underground areas where miners are working. The review is required under provisions of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 passed into law in June. The group is expected to issue recommendations about using belt air to ventilate, but not for several months. Yesterday, advisory committee chairman Jan Mutmansky, a Penn State mining engineering professor, declined to comment on the new legislation other than to say “it will not affect our work.” (Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette online edition, www.postgazette.com. By Steve Twedt, who may be reached at stwedt@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1963.)
AEM Announces record membership growth The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) experienced record membership growth in 2006, and AEM now numbers more than 750 companies from around the world that produce equipment, products, and services for the off-road equipment manufacturing industry. AEM member companies are based not only in the United States and Canada but also in 19 other countries throughout Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region. More than 6,500 industry executives from these AEM member companies participate in the association’s issues-oriented, job-specific and product-based working groups. AEM provides services in core areas including technical and safety, market statistics, global public policy, and trade shows. (Source: Association of Equipment Manufacturers) Mining legislation passes Ohio legislature Patrick A. Jacomet, executive director of the Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association (OAIMA), announced that OAIMA was successful in securing passage of important surface mining legislation in Ohio. This was a very positive step for Ohio and makes significant and beneficial changes in the areas of zoning, safety, and reclamation bonding, according to the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association eDigest and Washington Watch) Polaris wins award for environmental excellence VANCOUVER, B.C., Canada—Polaris Minerals Corp. has been selected to receive the e3 Environmental Excellence in Exploration Award by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC). The PDAC has selected Polaris to receive this award for “establishing excellent community relations and environmental practices during the exploration and construction of its Orca Quarry near Port McNeill on Vancouver Island. The company set up partnerships with First Nations communities that have enabled bands to have an equity stake in the operation, and two of the largest quarries of their kind in Canada have been successfully permitted with the support and cooperation of the local community. Polaris has also exceeded expectations in its attention to the protection of the environment.” The presentation of this award will be made during the PDAC awards evening, to be held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto, on March 5. Construction Management Association of America moves to new location McLean, Va.—The Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) has moved its McLean, Virginia-based headquarters to a new location that more than doubles its office space to support the association’s expanding membership and programs. The new address is as follows:
The telephone and fax numbers remain the same. American Road & Transportation Builders Association applauds President Bush’s proposal The American Road & Transportation Builders’ (ARTBA) president and CEO Pete Ruane issued the following statement regarding President Bush’s State of the Union address proposal to reduce gasoline consumption by 20 percent throughout 10 years “The American Road & Transportation Builders Association applauds President Bush’s goal of wanting to reduce annual gasoline consumption by 26 billion gallons,” Ruane says in the written statement. “According to the most recent Texas Transportation Institute “Urban Mobility Report,” Americans are now wasting 2.3 billion gallons of motor fuel annually sitting in traffic jams,” he continues. “We could achieve 10 percent of the President’s goal by simply making the necessary capital investments to add highway and transit capacity and get America moving again. “Transportation investments to reduce traffic congestion would, at the same time, yield many other tangible benefits, including making America more competitive in global markets, increasing productivity, and improving safety and mobility in times of national emergency or natural disasters.” (Source: American Road & Transportation Builders Association) Luck Stone employee chosen for 2007 Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) on Jan. 17 named Joseph “Joe” Andrews, Jr., vice president, Real Estate, for Richmond, Va.-based Luck Stone Corp., as the recipient of the 10th annual Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award for his dedication to the construction aggregates industry, his family, and his community. The award will be presented in ceremonies during the NSSGA Annual Convention in San Francisco, Feb. 27-March 2. Andrews began his career in the aggregates industry in 1970. He has been cited for his groundbreaking leadership roles in community relations, government affairs, and service and dedication to his family and community. His work for the betterment of the aggregates industry includes service as an NSSGA Board Executive Committee and Board of Directors member, vice chairman and chairman of the association’s former Public Affairs Division (now the Communications & Community Relations Division) and as a member of the Government Affairs Division. At the time of this Web posting, Andrews was scheduled to retire on Jan. 17 after 30 years with Luck Stone. The award is named for Iowan Barry K. Wendt (1946-1997), a Cedarapids, Inc., employee and industry leader who was universally recognized as a leader in the aggregates industry. He had served as chairman of the Manufacturers Divisions of both the former National Aggregates Association and National Stone Association. Each year, the Memorial Commitment Award goes to an individual who exemplifies the qualities of leadership and commitment demonstrated by Wendt. It is the association’s highest individual service award. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association eDigest and Washington Watch)
Some of the data included in the January 2007 “Market Situation” report in the print edition of Aggregates Manager appeared under the wrong heading. A PDF of the corrected version has been posted to the Aggregates Manager Web site at www.aggman.com/articles/economics/am01-07market.pdf. Aggregates Manager apologizes for the error.
MEGATrends Are U.S. Specs Keeping Up with Global Trends?
by Krish Amirthalingam and Stacy Goldsworthy The United States is recognized as a world leader in many ways. However, when it comes to issues such as specs for aggregate and other road-building materials, there are myriad questions that arise when considering just where the nation is in this regard. Are the specifications that are currently being used in the United States for road construction ensuring optimal long-term performance? Are these specifications truly world class? Do they ensure that we get the most cost-effective, exceptional performance from our roads? Do these specifications encourage the use of top-quality material and encourage cutting edge methods to produce outstanding road performance with minimal maintenance. There are so many questions! These are just a few of them. Insight to pavement performance improvement The use of performance-based specifications, as opposed to traditional specifications, gives an insight into how performance of pavements can be improved. It’s important to look at trends around the world (from developed to developing countries) on performance-based specifications as well as aggregate quality and how it impacts on the cost of road construction and the service life of pavements. What are specifications? Specifications are design criteria for a particular piece of work. In road construction, many facets of the process, from material selection to road construction techniques, are well documented and specified. Are these existing criteria and processes adequate? Yes. This then begs the questions, “Is adequate good enough or can we do better?” This leads us to ask how much better can we do and why aren’t we doing it better? This point is, in fact, where modern-day specifications are mired in the past. Traditional roading aggregate specifications have been prescriptive in their implementation. Source properties, grading, cleanness, and a few other related properties are specified. From this, field performance is inferred as being satisfactory. Too often, performance is not satisfactory and premature failure results. While aggregate quality is not usually the main reason for immediate failure, it usually has a significant impact on long-term performance. A quick walk back in time The first indications of constructed roads date from about 4000 B.C. They consist of stone paved streets at Ur in modern-day Iraq and timber roads preserved in a swamp in Glastonbury, England. Modern road design started in the 1800s depending solely on stone, gravel, and sand for construction. Water would be used as a binder to give some unity to the road surface. John Metcalfe, a blind Scotsman born in 1717, built about 180 miles of roads in Yorkshire, England. His well-drained roads were built with three layers: large stones, excavated road material, and a layer of gravel. Modern roads were the result of the work of two Scottish engineers, Thomas Telford (born in 1757) and John Loudon MacAdam (born in 1756). Telford designed the system of raising the foundation of the road in the center to act as a drain for water. He improved the method of building roads with broken stones by analyzing stone thickness, road traffic, road alignment, and gradient slopes. Eventually, his design became the norm for all roads everywhere. John MacAdam designed roads using broken stones laid in symmetrical, tight patterns, and covered with small stones to create a hard surface. MacAdam’s design, called ‘MacAdam Roads,’ provided the greatest advancement in road construction since the Romans. The water-bound MacAdam roads were the forerunners of the bitumen-based binding that was to become tarmacadam. The word tarmacadam was shortened to the now familiar tarmac. The first tarmac road to be laid was in Paris in 1854. Modern road asphalt was the work of Belgian immigrant Edward de Smedt at Columbia University in New York City. The first uses of this road asphalt were in Battery Park and on Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1872 and in 1877 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. While the basic methods of construction have remained constant over time, the specifications have under-gone changes, especially during the last few decades. Technology has evolved, with Superpave being one of the most current tools.
For the rest of this article, be sure to check out the March 2007 print edition of Aggregates Manager. References
Krish Amirthalingam (left) is the Barmac Product Manager with Metso Minerals. He was born and raised in Malaysia and has a degree in Mineral Resources Engineering from University of Science Malaysia.
Authors’ note: We would like to acknowledge Chris Rogers (Ontario Department of Transportation), Greg Arnold (Pavespec), Sudhir Srivastava (Metso Minerals India), Roberto Quintero (Metso Minerals Finland), and Peter Cook (Metso Minerals Matamata) for their contributions to this article.
New Web site for mining, aggregates industry
With new photographs, videos, and literature of high tech sand plants the site is fast and customer-focused. Users can find expanded product information and literature on all CFS product lines, technical information, and descriptions of the many services CFS provides. Topics including separation technology of many specialized sands, fines recovery, lignite and lightweight removal, dewatering screens, and sand and mineral comparisons are discussed. The site also includes testimonials, users lists, manuals, and new innovative technology. ASGCO Safe-Guard Return Idler helps prevent injuries
Installation of SAFE-GUARD on your conveyor belt return idler helps to protect your workers from the hazard of contacting the exposed idler, according to the manufacturer. The UHMW slotted cage is designed to prevent material build-up and for easy clean-up. Only two stainless steel pins need to be removed to drop open the side of the cage, then providing full access to the roller for ease of replacement and maintenance. The SAFE-GUARD’s universal mounting brackets are made from powder coated A-36 steel and can be used on CEMA B, C, D, and E series idlers up to 7 inches in diameter. They are fully adjustable for a wide range of idler sizes and belt widths up to 96 inches. Flyrock safety brochures available The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Office of Mine Safety and Health has released communication products about flyrock safety in the form of informational brochures, flashcards, and toolbox talk materials. Flyrock is any debris that lands outside of the designated blasting area. It can vary in mass from marble-size to car-size and can be dangerous and potentially fatal. Flyrock and blast area security have dominated blasting-related accidents in surface mining. From 1978-2004, 311 people were killed or injured by flyrock at surface mining operations. For additional information on flyrock safety, contact Marcia L. Harris of NIOSH’s Pittsburgh Laboratory at mharris@cdc.gov. New hammer for secondary breaking
It features PowerAdapt, a proprietary new system that shuts down the breaker if it receives excessive oil pressure from the carrier, preventing damage to the breaker from oil flow complications that can arise when attaching the breaker to different carriers. The unit also features AutoControl, a monitoring system that allows the breaker to adapt its frequency and power output to match operating conditions. It begins by firing the first stroke at half power to create a pilot notch that will center the working tool and prevent slippage. It then adjusts the power output to match the density of the material, reducing shock on both the breaker and the carrier and increasing service life. Big loader gets new power
Cat says its proprietary engine technology reduces emissions while boosting performance and increasing component life. The company has also improved the operator area, including reducing in-cab noise levels to less than 75 dB(A).
Metso Minerals will supply bulk materials handling equipment to Alcoa for its Juruti Mine in Para state, northern Brazil. The delivery will be complete by the end of 2007. The value of the order is approximately EUR 35 million. The order was included in the fourth quarter order backlog in 2006. The order comprises one ship loader, three stackers, one reclaimer, two apron feeders, five vibrating screens, one railcar dumper, and conveying systems. The order also includes technical erection assistance and a technical supervision of operations for two years after the start up of the plant. Metso’s solution is for a new bauxite processing plant. The Juruti Mine will supply bauxite to the Alumar Refinery. Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher joined Hendrickson officials Monday (Jan. 22) in breaking ground for a $24.3 million trailer suspension plant in Pulaski County. Expected to open this summer and bring 120 new jobs, the plant will occupy a 160,000 square-foot facility located on 19 acres in Somerset’s Valley Oak Industrial Park where it will produce trailer axles and trailer air suspensions for the heavy-duty transportation industry. “I congratulate the Somerset community on its attraction of Hendrickson,” said Gov. Fletcher. “There is no doubt that Hendrickson will be able to attract talented and highly skilled workers from the entire region, enabling them to surpass its already high expectations for this new facility.” Somerset will be Hendrickson’s second facility in Kentucky. In 1998, Hendrickson Truck Suspension Systems opened a plant in Lebanon. The Somerset plant becomes the sixth manufacturing plant for Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems headquartered in Canton, Ohio, a business unit of Hendrickson based in Itasca, Ill. Other trailer suspension facilities include a plant and research and development center at Canton; plants in Mitchell, S.D., Lebanon, Ind., Clarksville, Tenn., and Lugoff, S.C., and distribution centers in Canada and Mexico. Dyno Nobel has acquired 29.9 percent of the ordinary shares in Fabchem China Ltd., an explosives company listed on the Singapore stock exchange. The total consideration of up to S$0.70 per Fabchem share equates to US$31.8m which includes an upfront payment of S$0.52 per share, an additional S$0.13 per share payable upon achieving profit hurdles in 2008, and S$0.05 per share payable upon Fabchem obtaining an export license. Following the acquisition, Dyno Nobel plans to work closely with Fabchem management and Board to enhance the successful growth of the company in China. As part of this process, Dyno Nobel will nominate two representatives to Fabchem’s board of directors. Additionally, Dyno Nobel will have a senior manager seconded to Fabchem, reporting to the Managing Director of Fabchem, Mr. Sun Bowen. Advanced Weighing Systems, a manufacturer of data collection systems for truck scales (both hardware and software), has launched a new Web site. The site, which the company says is easy-to-navigate, now includes its entire product line with pictures and descriptions for each product, along with printable brochures. In addition to the format, Advanced Weighing Systems has also included frequently asked questions, customer testimonials, and profiles of completed projects on its site. These features allows Web site visitors to learn how the systems have helped other customers with their own business challenges as well as give an idea of how Advanced Weighing Systems may be able to assist your business. There also is now a Return on Investment section.
German company Kleemann has manufactured leading ranges of mobile stone crushing equipment since 1857 and are now a firmly entrenched market player throughout the world. McHale Inc is a full subsidiary of the Irish construction machinery distributor and retailing giant, McHale Plant Sales Ltd., who are the Irish distributors for Komatsu and Kleemann. Newly recruited to the sales force of McHale Inc, Jared Rimmer has recently departed from the ranks of an industrial sales division within the crushing and screening business. Rimmer has a bachelor of science degree in accounting at The Pennsylvania State University and has acquired a variety of experience in a number of companies before joining McHale Inc.
José Luis Sáenz de Miera, 60, President of Cemex’s Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Region has retired after more than 12 years with the company. The operations under his responsibility will be integrated into the current European Region, forming a single operating region to be called Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Region, according to Cemex. The company says Fernando A. González, president of the current European Region, will head this newly created operating region. Jose Luis Sáenz de Miera will remain with the company until Feb. 28 to support and ensure a smooth transition process. Francisco Garza and Juan Romero will continue in their current positions as president of North America and president of South America, and Caribbean, respectively. Rex Williams, managing director of Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd, has announced his intention to retire on May 30. Williams has been managing director of Holcim New Zealand since 1998, capping a career with the company both in New Zealand and overseas spanning 27 years and including engineering and sales roles. He has overseen the transition to 100 percent Holcim ownership of the company (formerly Milburn New Zealand Ltd); growth of the aggregates and concrete division particularly through joint venture partnerships; improvements in cement production and distribution facilities to address increased market demand; the move of the company’s lime division into exporting; and a strong focus on sustainable development which has seen the company achieve ISO14001 accreditation for all sites, undertake a large scale “Zero Harm” health and safety program, and contribute to climate change debate. Williams’ successor is Jeremy Smith, who has been general manager of Holcim Cement since 2003. Smith first joined Holcim New Zealand as general manager of the company’s lime division in 2001. Smith worked with Anthony Harper Barristers and Solicitors before moving into executive management roles with Eskimo Logistics Group. U.S. Concrete, Inc. has appointed Curt M. Lindeman as vice president and general counsel. Lindeman joined the company as assistant general counsel and has served as the company’s corporate secretary since September 2006. In this capacity, Lindeman will be responsible for overseeing the legal affairs for U.S. Concrete, including the continued development of corporate policies and strategies, as well as supervising U.S. Concrete’s business transactions, contracts and litigation. Prior to joining the company, Lindeman was most recently in private practice, representing both public and private companies with an emphasis on corporate and commercial transactions. Additionally, he has served as senior counsel for Coach USA, Inc., and as an attorney for Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P (Source: PR Newswire/FirstCall) Sponsored by:
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Classification and Flotation Systems, Inc. (CFS,
Inc.) has launched its new Web site,
The lightweight ASGCO SAFE-GUARD Return Idler
Guard from ASGCO has been designed to prevent injuries from
pinch points and to catch the return idler if it should fall. 
Atlas Copco’s new 5,500-pound HB 2500
hydraulic breaker features Krupp technology in an attachment
engineered for rock mining and secondary breaking, as well as
demolition and tunneling. Designed for carriers in the 29 to 43
metric ton range, the HB 2500 can accept up to 58 gallons-per-minute
hydraulic flow at 2,610 psi of pressure, and delivers an impact rate
of 550 blows per minute. 
Caterpillar has taken its 990 wheel
loader to the H-Series with the addition of a new Tier-3-compliant,
27-liter 12-cylinder engine that produces 627 net horsepower. The
990H is an aggressive face and bank loader designed to efficiently
load 60- to 70-ton trucks in the standard lift arrangement, and
100-ton trucks in the high-lift arrangement. 
As part of an ongoing international expansion,
McHale Inc. has now established itself in North America and
is the sole distributor for Kleemann Crushers and Screeners
within its territories of New York, Pennsylvania, and New England.