Only three months after announcing that third-largest coal producer Alpha Natural Resources had acquired 10.3% of its business (with an option to increase the stake to 28.3% under certain future terms), Ceratech Inc., Alexandria, Va., has accepted another strategic equity investment from Colombian cement giant Cementos Argos, the fourth-largest U.S. concrete producer.
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Cement consumption forecast drops; lower prospective highway funding culprit
Source: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. Uncertainty regarding highway spending legislation and government policy related to the debt crisis has caused the PCA cement consumption forecast to be downgraded from a 1.4 percent increase over 2010 figures to 0.2 percent for 2011. Additionally PCA Chief Economic Ed Sullivan’s recent forecast indicates 2012 figures will be nearly flat as well, with…
Read MorePCA economist: Debt crisis could usher 13 percent cement consumption drop over 2011-12
Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; Staff reports Inaction by Congress and the White House on the federal debt ceiling could derail the fragile U.S. economic recovery, spurring a second recession and adversely impacting cement shipments, according to a recent PCA report.
Read MoreCanadian cement consumption on the decline
Source: Portland Cement Assoication, Skokie, Ill. According to a recent report by PCA, a weaker assessment for the U.S. economy in tandem with a slower Canadian construction outlook suggests Canadian cement consumption will not perform as previously anticipated.
Read MoreVance joins Ash Grove Cement
Source: Ash Grove Cement Co., Overland Park, Kan. Ash Grove Cement announced recently that J. Randall “Randy” Vance is joining the company as its senior vice president of administration in the company’s home office. In his new role, Vance will direct finance, treasury, tax, information technology and human resources. “Randy brings two decades of corporate finance leadership experience and skills…
Read MoreRegistration still open for Concrete Sustainability Conference
Source: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md. The 2011 International Concrete Sustainability Conference, hosted by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association takes place August 9-11, in Cambridge, Mass., at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus. The sixth annual Conference will provide learning and networking opportunities on the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research,…
Read MoreIEEE West Coast set for October 13-14 in Texarkana, Texas
Source: IEEE West Coast The 2011 IEEE West Coast Conference Committee has assembled an informative technical session focusing on the latest issues affecting the cement industry. Set for Oct. 13-14, this year’s conference will take place in Texarkana, Texas, central to a large number of cement facilities. The event provides the opportunity and the technical venue where vendors and cement…
Read MorePCA economist: Debt crisis could usher 13 percent cement consumption drop over 2011-12
Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; Staff reports Inaction by Congress and the White House on the federal debt ceiling could derail the fragile U.S. economic recovery, spurring a second recession and adversely impacting cement shipments, according to a recent PCA report. A federal default stemming from the absence of a higher debt ceiling would affect business, consumer and bank…
Read MoreTop two TXI shareholders’ stake surpasses 40 percent
Sources: Securities & Exchange Commission; Staff reports A series of late-June trades has positioned Memphis-based Southeast Asset Management Inc. and its Longleaf Partners Small-Cap Fund with nearly 5.8 million of Texas Industries’ approximately 27.9 million outstanding shares of common stock. The trades were completed at just under $40/share—versus a July 5 closing price of $41.90—and consolidate a Southeast Asset/Longleaf TXI…
Read MoreCampaign advances life-cycle budgeting in infrastructure policy
Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; Staff reports A two-week print and online PCA ad campaign, themed “What Are the Real Costs” and targeted to political and policy opinion leaders in Washington, D.C., aims to elevate cradle-to-grave project cost factors in transportation and infrastructure funding. The ads appeared through July 1 in Rollcall and CQ Daily print editions and in…
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