Order for Thai mixing plant
Thailand. The latest order from Siamese Tyre has underlined Chronos Richardson’s business partnerships with major Asian tyre producers. Covering the supply of intake, weighing, feeding and process controls for masterbatch and final mix compounding lines, the order is for a new mixing plant producing radial tyres that is under construction at a greenfield site near Bangkok.
   A key factor in securing the order is said to have been the design flexibility of the company's CR 600 XP with its capability to control multiple mixing lines. In this particular case, the unit will control a ThyssenKrupp mixer on the masterbatch line and a Farrel mixer on the final mix line.
  Included in the project are: a Big Bag Intake system for carbon black, white fillers and silica; bulk powders weighing and feeding system, which will operate on a gravity basis; oils and polymer weighing and dosing systems; final mix feed system; and overall plant process and mixing control via a central CR 600 XP process control system.
   Regional Sales Manager, John Dance said that Chronos Richardson equipment had been selected because of its reliability, accuracy and the process quality improvements offered together with good local service and spares support. He was also encouraged by the fact that the contract was secured against strong competition from other European based equipment suppliers.
• Chronos Richardson Systems Europe, Materials Processing Solutions is a Business Unit of Premier Tech
Tue Aug 23 08:45:07 2005

Controlling dangerous surges
UK. Portasilo, bulk materials handling and storage systems manufacturers, has developed an independently vetted test rig to evaluate the effectiveness of pneumatic pressure relief valves employed in pressurised transfer between powder tankers and silos.
  The rig has already confirmed the effectiveness of Portasilo’s new PRV350 combined pressure and vacuum relief valve in avoiding damaging over- and under-pressurisation during powder filling and emptying.
   The potential hazards of inadequate pressure and vacuum relief provision have been tackled by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which has issued guidance on sizing of filters and pressure relief valves in the wake of a number of serious accidents during pneumatic filling of, and transfer from, silos. Although primarily targeted at the cement and construction industries and produced with assistance from related trade organisations, the guidance has serious implications for any industry which utilises pneumatically filled tankers.
   The HSE guide has identified that a significant air surge could occur at the end of the filling operation which could reach 13,000 cu m per hr for a 2 bar tanker. Unfortunately, initial uptake of the guidance has been slow, partly due to scepticism over the accuracy of the calculation which predicted this figure.
   Portasilo’s test rig, which is capable of generating such air flows, has been established to validate the calculated figure and test pressure relief valves on the market. Dennis Cook, the company’s technical manager, confirmed that ‘Peak air flows slightly in excess of those predicted have been measured’. He said that the company had decided to develop their own pressure relief valve - the PRV350 - because other valves failed to handle the surge flow. ‘Very significant dynamic effects were witnessed which had not been accounted for by their manufacturers’, he added.
   The new valve handles large air flows with minimal pressure accumulation, making it possible to maximise the set pressure and so reduce the chance of atmospheric pollution through dust release. Valves are available with a wide range of set pressures, in a variety of materials certified for capacity, and an integral vacuum relief valve is incorporated as standard with vacuum relief capacity also tested and certified.
www.portasilo.co.uk
Sun Jul 31 22:02:34 2005

Polypropylene plant for Russia
Russia. Dow Chemical Company and LUKOIL-Neftekhim has announced that LUKOIL and Dow's subsidiary, Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology Corp, have signed a license agreement for Stavrolen to use Dow’s UNIPOL™ PP process technology for a new polypropylene plant at Budennovsk, Russia. Construction of the plant, which will have a capacity of 120 KTA, is scheduled for completion in 2006 with total investment exceeding $70 m.
   Stavrolen will also use the proprietary UNIPOL™ UNIPPAC™ advanced process control package which is designed to seamlessly integrate with plant automation and company enterprise resource planning (ERP) information systems. The new technology will be used to produce impact resistant and low temperature polypropylene, as well as various modifications used in medicine and agriculture. The end product will be supplied to Russian chemical plants manufacturing fibre, thread, tubes and other consumer goods.
Thu Jul 28 11:47:32 2005

ISHAB to tackle international trade
UK. Solids Handling and Processing Association (SHAPA) and the Materials Handling Engineers Association (MHEA) have jointly launched the International Solids Handling Advisory Board (ISHAB) focused on developing international trade for the UK solids handling sector.
   Allan Wilkie, chairman of both ISHAB and SHAPA said that the organisation, supported and partly funded by UKT&I, had as its first project a comprehensive research survey into export opportunities for SMEs within the solids handling industry. The results of the Roadmap survey will be announced at ISHAB’s first seminar, Developing International Trade in the Solids Handling Sector, at The George Hotel, Lichfield on 7 September 2005. Mr Wilkie said that the seminar was open to interested parties, not just members of SHAPA or MHEA.
   SMEs wishing to improve or embark on international export activities, will find the seminar invaluable. Alongside a presentation of key results from the survey, numerous speakers will discuss topics such as trading in China and South America and European start ups.
   ‘It is ISHAB’s aim to assist SMEs in the solids handling sector to maximise their export potential. In the UK alone, turnover from this sector currently stands at over £500 m so to successfully harness trading opportunities on an international level could significantly boost this figure and directly benefit everyone involved in this industry’, added Mr Wilkie.
• Bookings for the seminar, which costs £75 per delegate, can be obtained from Dr H Wright, MHEA secretary, 19 Marrick Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS 18 5LW Tel: 01642 570045 Email: hw@mhea.co.uk
Thu Jul 14 11:49:14 2005

Rebuilding plant after tsunami
Indonesia. Following the tsunami’s destruction of Lafarge’s plant in Aceh, Northern Sumatra, Indonesia, the company has announced a $90-m rebuilding programme. The new plant will be equipped with state-of-the-art technological standards, have a production capacity of approximately 1.6 mt and be operational by mid-2007.
   Bernard Kasriel, Lafarge's' CEO, has announced the launch of a floating terminal to unload cement imported by the company from its Malaysian subsidiary at the port of Lhoknga to meet high demand for cement in Banda Aceh. This will provide a delivery of up to 1,600 t per day until the new plant startup.
   The Lafarge Group has also launched a program to rebuild 500 homes, a school, and a mosque in Lamkruet, a nearby village about a mile away from the factory which was almost totally destroyed by the tsunami. Lafarge will allocate its own funds to finance this operation, as well as using donations from Group employees throughout the world, and from other partners who offered help for disaster recovery.
Wed Jul 13 09:42:26 2005

ICI to acquire emulsion powders business
ICI is acquiring the Celanese emulsion powders business for £14.6m, a company which has about 50 employees and is based in Frankfurt, Germany. The ICI Group's four principal activities are National Starch, Quest, Uniqema and ICI Paints.
   This will be the first significant bolt-on acquisition made by the company for several years and will strengthen National Starch's Elotex business unit which is part of National Starch and Chemical's speciality polymers division, a leading international producer of polymeric additives. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and employee consultation.
Wed Jul 13 09:51:00 2005

Cement and grinding plant for Vietnam
Vietnam. Ha Long Cement Joint Stock Company of Vietnam has placed two orders with FLSmidth - one is for the construction of a greenfield cement plant with a contract value of € 91m and a capacity of 5,500 t per day and the other for a grinding plant with a contract value of € 22m and capacity of 200 tph.
   The cement plant, to be situated in the province of Quang Minh near Ha Long, is scheduled to be handed over at the beginning of 2008. The grinding plant, located next to Ho Chi Min City, will come on stream in the summer of 2007.
   For the cement plant FLSmidth will supply a FRM-Mill 52/400, a three support kiln SLC-D, an SF cross bar cooler, complete storage facilities and process control. The order also requires MAAG Gear to provide mill gears, Pfister to provide dosing control and Ventomatic to supply three complete packing lines.
   Equipment for the grinding plant ranges from a UMS mill and storage and transport facilities to ship loading and unloading equipment. Ventomatic will also provide three packing lines for this order. Both contracts include supervision of erection, commissioning, spare parts, civil engineering and training.
Tue Jul 05 10:00:06 2005

Carbon black unit for China
PRC. Cabot Corporation is to build a new speciality carbon black unit at its plant in the Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Area.
   Cabot Performance Products (Tianjin) Co Ltd, a joint venture with Shanghai Coking Chemical Co, will invest around $30 m to build the 20,000-t capacity special ‘blacks’ unit which will use the most advanced energy recovery and environmental technologies available and begin production in the second half of 2006. The addition to the Tianjin plant will make it one of the world's largest carbon black production facilities.
Tue Jul 05 10:00:25 2005

Significant increase in Gypsum production
Global. Lafarge Group is to increase production capacity of its gypsum business by more than 20 per cent over the next two years involving a capital expenditure that totals €300 m. This follows the Division’s 50 per cent increase in operating income in 2004.
   In the UK, a market that has enjoyed steady growth for several years, the company is building a plasterboard facility in the North of the country as a means of producing locally rather than importing from other European facilities. The €45 m plant will boost UK capacity by 50 per cent.
   Lafarge North America has started work on modernising and doubling capacity of its New York plant with an investment of close to $75 m, together with the division’s state-of-the-art plants at Palatka in Florida and Silver Grove in Kentucky.
   Lafarge Boral Gypsum in Asia (LBGA), a joint venture with Boral, is building two additional plants at Shanghai and Chongqing in China and is also doubling capacity of its Dangjin plant in South Korea.
   Closer to home, Turkey, a market enjoying brisk expansion in plasterboard, will see a new plant in Istanbul, the result of a partnership with Dalsan Insaat. Production capacity in Ankara will also be doubled. The fast pace of market expansion in Romania will see a tripling of production capacity there and a move is planned to enter the fast growing Ukrainian and southern Russian market with the construction of a plasterboard plant.
   In Algeria, a 150,000 t capacity gypsum plant will be built and in Saudi Arabia, a joint venture agreement with local companies will provide a gypsum production capacity of 300,000 t. South Africa will also see development with a new plasterboard plant in addition to the existing manufacture of gypsum components.
Fri Jul 01 14:21:58 2005

Exporter of the year award
UK. Powder Systems Ltd (PSL) has won Exporter of the Year at the Daily Post Business Awards. Short listed alongside Eli Lilly and Getrag Ford, the awards were announced at an event in Liverpool attended by 500 of the region’s leading business figures.
   PSL design and build high containment pharmaceutical process equipment for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Over 85 per cent of production is exported with the US representing almost 50 per cent of all exports. Other international markets include Singapore, Japan, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Scandinavia and Spain.
Fri Jul 01 14:20:32 2005

New Malvern facility for China
PRC. Malvern Instruments has opened a new head office in Shanghai for all its sales and marketing activities in China. Operations in the country began in April 2004 to provide more direct support to customers and was initially based in temporary premises. The new offices include a state-of-the-art customer demonstration and training facility to provide sample analysis, customer training, contract and consultation services for the country.
   A customer support centre has also been established, offering in-house repairs and service engineer training for China and Asia. Satellite offices in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Beijing and Xian will provide customer support personnel for local access, dedicated to fast response.
   Laboratory facilities in Shanghai house Malvern’s complete range of particle characterisation and rheology systems, together with a full suite of ancillary particle characterisation equipment and materials. It will host regular particle size training schools, which in future will be extended to cover all instrumentation and technology types.
   Interestingly, Malvern is providing further support through its Chinese language website, which, in addition to product and applications information, features 'on demand' audiovisual presentations that can be downloaded and run at the viewer's convenience.
   Malvern is also exclusive distributor in China for Quantachrome.
www.malvern.com.cn

Engineering the future
UK. SHAPA (Solids Handling and Processing Association) is organising what they describe as an innovative day of workshops and seminars aimed at broadening the technical knowledge of engineers in industry at the premises of Avery Weightronix in Smethwick, UK on 14 September 2005. The objective of the 'Engineering the future' event is to enthuse up-and-coming engineers about the diverse field of solids handling and create a networking forum.
   As well as providing an overview of this sector of industry, which encompasses powders, bulk and granular materials, the event will look at current design considerations, covering crucial (but often overlooked) topics such as how not to over-engineer equipment and systems, the challenge of maintaining margins and engineering for value.
   An illuminating procurement exercise led by the Wolfson Centre will form part of the day. ‘We have run this exercise a number of times and feedback is, without fail, extremely positive’ says Mike Bradley of The Wolfson Centre. ‘It's not often engineers get the opportunity to look at a project from both the viewpoint of both buyer and seller.’ A future trends workshop will round off the day, looking at how to take advantage of new developments.
   Gus Bishop, chair of SHAPA's technical committee, said that the event provided a great opportunity for engineers to broaden their industry knowledge and form useful links with other member companies.
www.shapa.co.uk
Wed Jun 22 12:14:21 2005

Cement contract may end in litigation
India. FLSmidth, leading global supplier to the cement industry, has learned that Larsen & Toubro (L&T), a leading Indian industrial company with which it formerly had a licensing agreement, has issued a statement saying that the company has obtained an order for a cement grinding plant on a turnkey basis from Oman Cement Company's plant in Rusayl, Oman. FLSmidth’s view is that L&T breached contractual obligations in tendering for the Oman project.
   Up to 2004, FLSmidth's presence in India was partly based on a licensing agreement and cooperation with L&T and partly based on its own business through Fuller India Ltd. This licensing agreement was terminated in November 2004.
   FLSmidth say that under the terms of the agreement, L&T would not utilise its know-how and proprietary rights and refrain from competing with the company for a period of five years. The suggestion is that, in tendering for the Oman project, L&T breached its contractual obligations, despite written confirmation from L&T that the company would honour its surviving obligations.
   FLSmidth also believe that L&T's quotation for the project was based on knowhow and technology obtained through the licensing agreement. The allegation is that L&T directly and actively infringed FLSmidth's knowhow and proprietary rights and action will now be taken to protect these rights and prevent further contractual breaches.
Mon Jun 20 10:05:51 2005

Sales success for powder tester in Japan
Japan. Freeman Technology has gained the first sales of its FT4 Powder Rheometer in Japan. This follows the distribution agreement signed with Sysmex Corp of Kobe, Japan earlier this year giving Sysmex exclusive distribution rights in Japan for the FT4 .
  Nine systems have now been shipped, with the first destined for purchasers in the toner and pharmaceutical sectors. Terry Cooper, Freeman’s sales director said that initial trials with Sysmex in Japan generated considerable interest from a wide range of powder processing companies.
  With application laboratories in both Kobe and Tokyo, Sysmex will support clients in developing methodologies and applications for the device.
   Patented technology is used to measure powder flow properties, providing an understanding that allows more consistent and predictable powder processing. The system was exhibited at this year's Interphex Japan in Tokyo and will be on the Sysmex booth at a variety of upcoming trade shows and conferences in the country.

ROTEX revitalises website
ROTEX’s new website features a more comprehensive and informative listing of products and product lines, easy to navigate buttons, and a look and feel that complements the company's branding efforts. Helpful downloads such as product data sheets, application bulletins, laboratory forms and other relevant literature are also available.
   Also featured is a news update section, complete listing of worldwide representatives and a customer login section to be launched later this year. This will allow clients access to more information and the latest news and product updates.
www.rotex.com

Anglo American disposes of Boart Longyear
Anglo American plc has reached an agreement to sell Boart Longyear Group, part of Anglo Ferrous Metals and Industries, to private equity group Advent International plc for $545m. Anglo American received a number of approaches for the purchase of the Group, a leading provider of drilling services, tools and equipment for the natural resource, construction and quarrying industries and industrial markets worldwide.
   Together with the sale of Wendt (part of the Boart Longyear Group of businesses), announced earlier this year, the total enterprise value achieved from the process amounts to $635m. Tony Trahar, CEO of Anglo American said that the transaction was part of an ongoing strategy to optimise the company’s asset base.

Belt conveying - could it be better?
UK. Handling problems when conveying bulk and powdered materials still seem to trouble the industry, but it needn’t be so. The IMechE suggest that by adhering to good design principles, problems can be reduced and operational efficiency improved. This is the main thrust of their forthcoming seminar.
   Organised by the IMechE's Bulk Materials Handling Committee, Better belt conveying, which takes place at the Institution's headquarters in London on the 5 October, 2005, will deal with the introduction of new British standards, methods of feeding, carrying and discharging materials, conveyor plant safety, reliability, operation and successful plant upgrades.
   Some of industry’s leading experts will be presenting papers, including: Graham Leason - Bulk Materials Handling Consultant, Tech-A Ltd; Lyndon Bates - MD, Ajax Equipment Ltd; Brian Rothery - Head of Development and Quality Assurance, Fenner PLC; Stephen Barker - Marketing Manager, Siemens Automation & Drives Plc; Martin Tenzer - Key Account Manager, Martin Engineering GmbH; Rob Drohan - Chief Executive, Ace Conveyor Equipment; Greg Kelley - MD and Keith Schofield - Contracts Manager, Norec Ltd; Helen Turner - HSE, Manufacturing Sector - Quarries Group; and Paul Bancrof and Tony Kay, Continental Conveyors Ltd.
• Download the programme and registration form from:
http://www.imeche.org.uk/events/belt and fax to: +44 (0) 20 7722 9881 or register online. For sponsorship and exhibition opportunities please contact: Martin Pratt Tel: +44 (0) 20 7973 1261 or Email: m_pratt@imeche.org.uk
Mon Jun 06 17:57:29 2005

Industrial espionage case moves on
FLSmidth's planned civil action against the German clinker cooler producer IKN Ingenieurbüro Kühlerbau Neustadt GmbH (IKN), which claims unlawful acquisition of drawings and other material for a crossbar clinker cooler developed and patented by FLSmidth, has resulted in IKN presenting their view of the case on their web site (www.ikn-online.com).
   FLSmidth state that they do not agree with this view and have not been contacted by IKN over the matter before the release on the web site. IKN’s claim, to have acquired the drawings and documents in question from a former FLS employee and consultant in good faith, is, says FLSmidth, in contravention of a court order in Hanover. The interpretation put on this is that IKN must have been aware that the material was confidential knowhow belonging to FLSmidth.
   FLSmidth say that, against this background, IKN waived their objection to the court's preliminary ban and seizure of the documents and that IKN's statement does not change planned civil action against them, both in Germany and the US, to claim compensation for losses inflicted through use of material in marketing. FLSmidth is also planning to take action against the former employee involved.
Tue May 24 22:46:35 2005

SOLIDS exhibition declared a success
UK. The first easyFairs SOLIDS Handling Processing Storage event, which ran at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton on the 10 - 11 May 2005, has been proclaimed a success by exhibitors. This was also mirrored by the 690 visitors that attended, with around 91 per cent saying that the show had met their objectives and 84 per cent saying that they would purchase products they saw at the event.  
Declan Barry of ATEX Explosion Hazards Ltd agreed that the event was very productive. ‘To date the easyFairs SOLIDS event is the best exhibition we have ever participated in. The ATEX learnshops have proven to be a big draw for visitors, so the people attending were keen to view our ATEX solutions (explosion products and services). We did meet existing clients, but most of the people at our stand were new prospects, so the easyFairs event should really help to raise our profile’, he said.
   Vic Godding, sales and marketing manager, Rotolok said that the word 'easyFairs' really rang true. ‘Right from the decision to exhibit, at what we perceived to be an ideal location, through to setting up the stand, everything has gone very smoothly....... We are pleased with the level of attendees and have been talking to process and project engineers, who we see as our target contacts.’
   Scott Parkinson, marketing manager, Camfil, said ‘easyFairs SOLIDS is a good show; it’s very targeted and specific. The visitors are high quality – we had thirty very good leads on the first day. We were delighted because some of them included prospects that we’ve been tracking and they’ve stopped to talk to us.........’
   Keith Simpson, marketing manager, Spiroflow Ltd, reported some good leads through participating at the event. He said, ‘We got off to a flying start on the opening morning of the show with almost twenty decent enquiries. The following day brought in 26, bringing the total to 51 over the 2 days. We’re delighted with the concept of the event and found it to be well organised.’
   Robin Travis of Renby said that the company had good quality leads from blue chip companies and that showing the Schrage Rohrkettensystem GmbH tube chain conveyor at a specialist show for the first time had resulted in a positive response from visitors.
   Applied Weighing made the generous gesture of giving two bottles of champagne to the easyFairs show team. ‘We were delighted with the event,” said MD Julian Glasspole ‘and we had a lot of interest in Applied Weighing’s products, so we thought it would be nice to say thank you to easyFairs!’
   Peter Heath, MD of easyFairs UK, felt that the company had identified and fulfilled a requirement in the solids processing industry for a business event which delivered what exhibitors and visitors were looking for. ‘Our learnShop sessions were bursting with delegates throughout the event and exhibitors made the most of the high quality audience. We're delighted that our customers thought the event was easy to attend and generated new leads’, he said.
www.easyfairs.com
Fri May 20 17:32:46 2005

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