CEMBUREAU released figures this summer on the production perfonmance of its members in the European cement sector in 2015. They reveal a modest positive annual growth rate of 0.9 per cent to 248Mt, when compared to the year before. More information, download .PDF

One could argue that last week’s announcement of the proposed merger of two of the world’s largest magnesia and refractory groups – RHI AG’s takeover of Magnesita Refratários SA to form RHI Magnesita – was only a matter of time. RHI Magnesita will fuse together the world’s second and third largest refractory groups, pooling an …

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Challenged by globally advocating environmental preservation and low carbon economy, it is imperative to develop «green refractories», as an important strategy in favor of present and future sustainable development of refractories industry, also contributive for refractory consuming industries to meet the challenge of green manufacturing. Concepts and countermeasure for implementing «green refractories» strategy are suggested, …

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Exposed to the Sahara desert climate, a new cement plant has been taking shape some 40Km north of Biskra, Algeria. In the hot aird summer with temperatures reaching 49.4ºC and an annual rainfall of less than 100mm, the construction of the Algeria Spa CILAS cement works presented its own challenges, but a flexible approach by …

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In any review of the development and use of refractories in a major process industry it may be useful to consider how and perhaps why the current technology has developed as it has done. Cement is an ancient and very basic commodity, which is today manufactured by modern processes and equipment sometimes by very new …

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