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drymix.info Newsletter 185/2016; ISSN Number 1613-0111; 21. October 2016

1. Delegate Information: Iran Drymix Mortar Meeting in Tehran, 25. October 2016
2. PROMINDO and SEADMA Invite to 11th Annual Conference in Jakarta, 17.11.16
3. MEDMA AGM in Dubai on 20.11.16 Merged with Big5 Workshop
4. Casual drymix.info Evening during BAU 2017: Wednesday, 18. January 2017
5. New Date: Workshop on the Use of Mortar Machines in Thailand, Bangkok 24.1.17
6. Q-Mortar Has Started Drymix Mortar Operations on Sumatra Island, Indonesia
7. Uzin Restructures its Activities, Forms Codex
8. Quick-Mix Adjusts Prices for 2017
9. Sika Acquires Ronacrete Hongkong

Preliminary Remark: Some of our readers have complained about the fact that very often our Newsletter is being considered by their e-mail system (or the respective company host) as spam, or refused altogether. We are sending this Newsletter from a new address (drymixinfo@micro-conference.com) and will check the success of this measure afterwards. For a similar reason our reference will be changed to "drymix.info Monthly 185/2016" Let us hope we reach out better to you this way. Leo

1. Delegate Information: Iran Drymix Mortar Meeting in Tehran, 25. October 2016

Over 70 drymix mortar experts, predominantly from Iran, will meet at The Iran Drymix Mortar Meeting at Parsian Evin Hotel, Tehran on 25. October 2016. This event is jointly organized by The Iran Construction Chemicals Association (ICCA), Iran Mortar Association (IMA) and drymix.info. Mr. Akbar Motazedi, President of ICCA has agreed to deliver the Keynote Speech.

Delegate check-in starts on Tuesday, 25. October 2016, 08:00, the conference will start at 09:00 and end about 17:00. Pre-registeration to info@drymix.info (or by paying by Visa or Mastercard in our online shop) is mandatory. Admission is 310 Euro per person, reduced to 270 Euro for drymix.info members. Drymix Mortar Manufacturers enjoy the discounted admission of 120 Euro per person.

2. PROMINDO and SEADMA Invite to 11th Annual Conference in Jakarta, 17.11.16

Perkumpulan Produsen Mortar Industri Indonesia PROMINDO, Jakarta and The South East Asia Drymix Mortar Association SEADMA, Singapore invite to their Annual Conference at Hotel Aryaduta, Jakarta, Indonesia on 17. November 2016 (it is already the 11th SEADMA Conference in the ASEAN region). This full-day event is the key networking event for the entire region, it attracts drymix mortar experts from Southern Asia including China and Korea. Delegates have the chance to talk and interact with colleagues and buddies in the industry and to enjoy an Industry Showcase in the foyer, where competent staff of suppliers to our industry present their products and services. The lecturing programm covers recent developments in drymix mortar technology. A special section of the conference focusses on the SEADMA's regional evolution with new chapters in Thailand (ThaiDMMA), The Philippines (PhilDMMA), Indonesia (PROMINDO) and our new SEADMA Mortar College in Singapore. SEADMA will also hold its Annual General Assembly during the event.

Registration for the 11th Annual PROMINDO/SEADMA Conference has already started, you can book using your credit card (Visa, Master accepted) on www.drymix.info. Admission is 310 Euro, reduced to 270 Euro for SEADMA and drymix.info members. The specially rebated rate for mortar manufacturers has been granted, it is only 150 Euro. Staff of PROMINDO Members AM, PT Drymix, Mortindo, Mixmaster, Powerbond, S3, Saint Gobain Weber (MU), Sika, Uzin enjoy even an additional discount, please enquire with Ruslin Widjaja Secretary General of PROMINDO.

3. MEDMA AGM in Dubai on 20.11.16 Merged with Big5 Workshop

This is the formal and timely announcement of The Middle East Drymix Mortar Association MEDMA e.V.'s Annual General Meeting (AGM, "Vollversammlung") taking place at Al Badia Golf Club, Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 18:00 to 22:00. The event will be held as open AGM, which means that all interested mortar experts can attend (only different admission conditions apply, see below). The Executive Committee of MEDMA has decided to merge the AGM with the traditional MEDMA Workshop on Big 5 the next day. So, this year's AGM features the usual report of the MEDMA EC, elections for it as well as expert lectures on choice topics (see below). The new MEDMA Technical Bulletin 11 with focus on External Insulation and Finishing Systems (EIFS) will be presented during this AGM.

The MEDMA EC has decided to make a member and partner survey which is being sent out to all members this week, results will be presented during the AGM and actions will be discussed there, too.

Preliminary Program (subject to change without notice)
(Varun Goil) JK Cement (Fujairah): The Use of White Cement in Mortars
Dr. Michael Monz, Dennert Poraver (Germany): Lightweight Cementitious Tile Adhesives – The Influence of Different Lightweight Aggregates

(lecturer tbd.), MEDMA Workgroup on EIFS: Update of the Status of Approvals for EIFS by Dubai Municipality and Dubai Civil Defence
(MEDMA EC): Report on 2016, Outlook into 2017, Results from Member Survey, Elections of New Board (all members are encouraged to propose candidates to Leo by e-mail), Introduction of new members.

Admission is free of charge for members only (up to two participants per member company), all others pay AED 500 per person. Actemium, JK Cement, and Poraver support this event, thanks a lot; sponsoring is still welcome! Advance registration by e-mail to drymix.info is absolutely mandatory (both for members and non-members!).

4. Casual drymix.info Evening during BAU 2017: Wednesday, 18. January 2017

The casual (and traditional) drymix.info Evening during BAU takes place again on 18. January 2017 at 19:00 at Hofbräukeller, Munich, Innere Wiener Straße 19, 81667 München (see www.hofbraeukeller.de). This is near the subway station Max Weber Platz, U4, U5). This event has become an excellent vanishing point for tired showgoers on "BAU-Wednesday". After a hard day at the fair there is time to network, chat, have dinner with friends and just have a good time. Seating is limited, so advance registration is absolutely mandatory, please  e-mail us to info@drymix.info. so far, Calucem and Wacker-Chemie are sponsoring this evening, additional sponsors are welcome

5. New Date: Workshop on the Use of Mortar Machines in Thailand, Bangkok 24. 1.17

The Thai Drymix Mortar Manufacturer‘s Association (ThaiDMMA) and SEADMA invite to a Workshop on the Use of Mortar Machines in Efficient Construction in Thailand (we reported earlier). The date had to be readjusted to 24. January 2017, location remains the same hotel: the splendid Siam Kempinski Hotel. Collaborators for this workshop are (in alphabetical order) Bouygues-Thai Ltd. (a large developer of high-class projects with own plastering operations), Ngamwongwan (a large plastering contractor), Pheung Chengtong, (a large subcontractor, specialized on plastering mainly working for SYNTEC), Powerline Engineering Public Co. Ltd. (a very large contractor operating internationally and in Thailand, too).

The goal of this unique training and exchange opportunity is to bring together specialized (plastering) contractors with the drymix mortar industry, consultants, architects and specifically the quality manufacturers of machineable mortars united in SEADMA and ThaiDMMA. The practical lectures during the workshop will explain the chances of machine supported mortar applications and the increase in efficiency and jobsite logistics (all application specific lectures are being held in Thai language).

Supporting members of ThaiDMMA and SEADMA can invite their clients, be it architects, consultants or contractors (special packages exist for them, please enquire with us). Sponsors from all trades (especially mortars producers and equipment producers) are welcome.

6. Q-Mortar Has Started Drymix Mortar Operations on Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Q-Mortar in Pekanbaru on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia has recently started up an automated drymix mortar plant. The plant was engineered and supplied with the necessary technical and control equipment by Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich GmbH & Co KG, Hardheim, Germany. The aggregate is mined nearby and washed, dried and sieved on plant site. The material preparation as well as the dosing & weighing system is already prepared for the later extension with a second production line. Q-Mortar manufactures cementitious tile adhesives, grouts, putties, skim coats, high grade water proof mortar and other special mortars for sale throughout Sumatra and the adjoining archipelago. Quoting Erik Siabastian, project manager for Q-Mortar: "(…) our high quality products led already to an unexpectedly high demand among the local contractors. (…) Q-Mortar is already planning the increase of production capacity to be able to serve the market.“ The Q-Mortar plant is the first sizeable one outside of Java, where many mortar productions are located, mainly in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area and Surabaya. Thus, it is a decisive step for drymix mortar technology to spread also onto other islands of Indonesia and realize the unlimited potential drymix mortars have by replacing jobsite mixes (conventional technology).

7. Uzin Restructures its Activities, Forms Codex

Uzin Utz AG, Ulm, Germany is restructuring its activities. Since 2007, Uzin sells its tile adhesives under the Codex brans, now the company has decided to transfer its tile and natural stone installation solutions into a new company, called Codex GmbH & Co. KG. Codex will formally start operations on 1. January 2017. For this activity, Uzin plans a new drymix mortar plant with 60.000 t/a capacity in Ulm (coming on stream in the beginning of 2018). Codex will also be located in Ulm: right next to the existing Uzin plants, a plot of land measuring 10.000 square meters was acquired for the new company, which will host the production plant, warehousing, administration, training facilities and research & development labs.

8. Quick-Mix Adjusts Prices for 2017

Quick-Mix Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG, Osnabrück, Germany, has recently announced its new pricing structure for 2017. A broad-based price increase for the portfolios of the brands Quick-Mix, Schwenk Putztechnik and Tubag amounting to about 3% is being announced. According to Carsten Beier, head of Marketing & Sales at Quick-Mix, this step became necessary due to increased raw materials, personnel and logistics costs. The new pricing structure will be made available to all clients in November 2016. Quick-Mix is part of Sievert Gruppe and is active in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Eastern Europe (several Nations) and China. The price increase will become effective 1. January 2017 or as customer contracts allow.

9. Sika Acquires Ronacrete Hongkong

Sika AG, Baar, Switzerland has acquired Ronacrete (Far East) Ltd. a specialty mortar producer in Hongkong. Ronacrete Far East, formed in Hongkong in 1976, is providing waterproofing, flooring, non-shrink grouts, concrete repair systems and tile adhesives for Hongkong and South China. It operates a production plant in Guangzhou (Kanton), China. According to Heinz Gisel, Head of Sika Asia Pacific, Hongkong and the surrounding markets display a robust and steady growth with over 5% per year. This development is being driven in part by by public housing projects (e.g. from Hongkong Housing Authority HHA). The activities of Ronacrete, Ltd., Harlow, Great Britain are not part of this takeover.

The drymix.info Newsletter is being sent exclusively to registered subscribers and all members of drymix.info. Editor-in-Chief: Ferdinand Leopolder. Back issues will be published on www.drymix.info.

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Sincerely Yours, Ferdinand Leopolder