Total shipments of portland and blended cement in the United States and Puerto Rico in March 2016 were about 7.5 million metric tons (Mt), up by 19.3 percent from sales in March 2015, according to the most recent USGS Mineral Industry Survey. The leading producing states for portland and blended cement in March were Texas, California, Missouri, Florida and Alabama,…
Read MoreAuthor: Cement Optimized News
Castell’s Motion-Sensing Product Safeguards Rotating Machinery
Industrial safety specialist Castell developed a motion-monitoring product to protect workers in industries such as cement manufacturing. The BEMF unit ensures that motor-driven equipment up to 600 volts with a variable rundown time has completely stopped before access is possible. In the cement industry, safe access to the mixer is important as set cement can easily cause blockages if not…
Read MoreCement Industry Advocates for Infrastructure, Sustained Funding
Leaders in the cement industry joined the Portland Cement Association (PCA) for its first D.C. Fly-In held May 24-25. Members of the association hailed Congress’ passage of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act as an important step in bringing the latest innovation and technology to America’s roads and bridges, but noted that there is more work to be done.
Read MoreEssroc Cement Defeats Opposition in Zoning Vote
Essroc Cement’s Speed, Ind., plant will be allowed to continue operations with its current zoning after a Clark County Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously dismissed an appeal of an earlier administrative opinion, reported the News and Tribune. Essroc Cement Corp. will keep its heavy industrial zoning classification despite its plans to use waste-derived fuel to reduce emissions.
Read MoreReport: Vallejo Plant Will Not Have Disproportionate Impact on Residents
A recently released report concluded that a proposed marine terminal and cement facility in Vallejo, Calif., will not have a disproportionate impact on minority or low-income residents living near the site, reported the Vallejo Times-Herald. Air quality, greenhouse emissions and transportation associated with the project would not impose an undue burden on those groups, according to the Environmental Justice Analysis…
Read MoreLafargeHolcim Releases First Quarter Results
For the first quarter 2016, LafargeHolcim Ltd. posted a net loss of CHF 47 million ($48.4 million), an improvement of CHF 22 million ($22.6 million) compared with the same quarter of 2015 after the exclusion of divestment gains. Despite the net loss, the company said all 2016 targets are on track.
Read MoreBin Level Data Monitoring
BinMaster introduced a series of BinCom modules that enable a SmartBob sensor to send data to the BinView web application to provide instant access to bin level data on any device with an internet connection. A smartphone, tablet or PC can be used to get timely, remote data access to all bin level measurements from local and corporate-wide locations. A…
Read MorePin Latch Belt Cleaner
The Pin Latch Secondary Belt Cleaner, a tungsten carbide-tipped secondary cleaner that slides in and out for service without requiring any tools, features a square, tabbed mainframe with segmented blades connected by a simple pin mechanism, allowing easy access and quick blade replacement by semi-skilled personnel. The pin latch design by Martin Engineering provides adjustable tension for varying conditions, such…
Read MoreLow-Profile Bulk Bag Discharger
A new series of Flexicon Bulk-Out Half-Frame Bulk Bag Dischargers feature low-cost frames of variable heights and offsets to fit restricted areas previously utilized for dumping of smaller containers such as sacks, pails, drums, boxes and bins. The low profile dischargers are engineered to straddle downstream blenders, feeders, tanks or other equipment in areas with limited headroom, restricted floor space…
Read MoreUsing Rope Access Teams
For Inspection, Repairs And Maintenance In Hard-To-Reach Places, Rope Access Teams Are Like Navy SEALs. By John Susong When going after the world’s most infamous fugitive terrorist in 2011, the U.S. government theoretically could have sent in the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, with enough troops and firepower to blow Pakistan – and much of the rest of the Middle East – off the map. Instead, it sent…
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