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drymix.info Newsletter 191/2017; ISSN Number 1613-0111; 16. March 2017

1. idmmx six, Nürnberg, 3. April 2017 (+ Barfüsser on 2.4.17): Final Delegate and Sponsor Information
2. 2nd Central American Drymix Mortar Meeting, México City, 27. June 2017: Preliminary Program & Location
3. Events Outlook 2017: Meetings planned in Teheran, São Paulo (26.10.17), Johor (23.11.17) and Manila
4. MEDMA Seal of Quality: Members Eligible to Two Free Seals
5. Short Report about MEDMA Goverment Hearing on EIFS in Dubai on 13. March 2017
6. AkzoNobel Turns Down Takeover Offer by PPG Industries, Reviews Options for Specialty Chemicals
7. Spherefill (Suek Baltic) Joins drymix.info as Partner
8. Owner Change at Homatherm
9. Rockwool Invests in New Plants in Sweden, Romania and the US

1. idmmx six, Nürnberg, 3. April 2017 (+ Barfüsser on 2.4.17): Final Delegate and Sponsor Information

Time is running to register for our International Drymix Mortar Conference idmmc six, which takes place on 3. April 2017 in Nürnberg, Germany. Please note that all sponsor personnel has to be properly registered, too. Don't forget to decide if you want to join our traditional Delegate Welcome on Sunday, 2. April 2017, sonsored by Calucem and Evonik (thanks a lot!). Our Drymix Mortar Yearbook 2017 (came in today from the printers!) will be included in your admission, the program is available on www.drymix.info.

Attention sponsors: please inform us if you send anything to the specified address and also mark your shipments carefully, so we don't confuse them during setup and bag-filling.
Attention lecturers: please observe the deadlines issued for submission - or tell us clearly if you need a few days extra.

Admission (including 19% German VAT) is 460 Euro, reduced to 380 Euro for drymix.info members. Mortar Producers are eligible to our specially reduced rate of only 280 Euro. Please use our online registration option on drymix.info (Visa or Mastercard required).

2. 2nd Central American Drymix Mortar Meeting, México City, 27. June 2017: Preliminary Program & Location

The Second Central American Drymix Mortar Meeting takes place at Fiesta Inn Insurgentes Sur, México City, on Tuesday, 27. June 2017. The full day event features scientific lectures from the region and from abroad, as well as a comprehensive Industry Showcase. Last but not least, there will be enough time to catch up and network. We are happy to say, that industry expert Meliza Benítez Toledo has joined our preparation team,  her husband Carlos Carbajal will support us, too. If delegates or sponsors from Mexico and the region have  questions, they can contact by e-mail at: meliza (dot) benitez (at) drymix (dot) info. Meliza and Charly will also be the contact to our sponsors in Mexico.

Here is a preliminary list of lectures (sorted alphabetically by lecturer name, there will be two more lectures which are being discussed as we speak, subject to change without notice):

Poraver, Shahram Astor: Reducing the Young’s Modulus in Dry Mortar Products Using Lightweight Aggregate
Actemium Process Solutions, Valérie Audiau: A Software Suite Dedicated to Piloting of  Drymix Mortar Plants
Laticrete, Randall P. Bright: Challenges when Setting Large-Format and Low-Absorption Tiles
Mapei, Stefano Carrà: A New Methodology to Test and Assess Tile Adhesives’ Heat Resistance
J. Rettenmaier, Juan José Guadarrama: New Modified Grades of Cellulose Fibers for the Modification of CTA
Dow, Ricardo Hernández: Differentiated Cellulose Ethers for Homogeneous Gypsum Plaster Formulations
Wacker, Hector Muñoz: Flexibility of CTA beyond standards
Kerneos, Tom Tolive: Improving the Properties of Portland Cement with Calcium Aluminate Technology
Allgaier, (lecturer tbd.): Compact and Efficient Solutions for Sieving and for Combined Drying/Cooling for the Drymix Mortar Industry

Admission to the Second Central American Drymix Mortar Meeting is 335 Euro (MXN 7.500), reduced admission for members of drymix.info is 275 Euro (MXN 6.000). An especially reduced admission is available for drymix mortar manufacturers they pay only 180 Euro (MXN 4.000).

3. Events Outlook 2017: Meetings planned in Teheran, São Paulo (26.10.17), Johor (23.11.17) and Manila

By popular request, already last year in Teheran, drymix.info is currently scheduling the 2nd Iran Drymix Mortar meeting this fall. The final date will be announced once we have obtained an ok from our partners there, namely the Iran Construction Chemicals Association ICCA, headed by Akbar Motazedi and Iran Mortar Association IMA, headed by Hamzeh Goudarzi.

Later in the year, we are currently thinking about staging The Third Philippine Drymix Mortar Meeting, yet to be finally discussed with The Philippines Drymix Mortar Manufacturer's Association PhilDMMA, headed by Axel Brandner. Interested supporters for both regional meetings are asked to contact drymix.info.

A Call for Papers (expiry 10. May 2017) is already running for our 5th Latin American Drymix Mortar Meeting ladmmc five and the 12th Annual SEADMA Conference on 23. November 2017 (expiry 30. June 2017). ladmmc five takes place on 26. October 2017 at Espacio Transatlántico, São Paulo, Brasil and the 12th Annual SEADMA Conference on 23. November 2017.

The SEADMA event was initially planned to take place in Singapore. But we changed the location: The formation of the Malaysia Drymix Mortar Manufacturer's Association MDMMA (we reported earlier) has led the Executive Committee (EC) of SEADMA to move it to Jen Hotel Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya Johor, Malaysia. Never heard of the place? It is just across from Singapore (via the second link near Tuas), so we find this is a good compromise. Especially since Jen Hotel is a brand new venue by the Shangri-Là Group and Lego Land is nearby (bring your family!). According to the majority vote of the participants the 12th Annual SEADMA Conference in Jakarta 2016, it will start (11:00) and finish late (19:00), so we can plan a casual evening gathering, the support of sponsors provided...

4. MEDMA Seal of Quality: Members Eligible to Two Free Seals

The Middle East Drymix Mortar Association MEDMA's Seal of Quality establishes clear rules about the performance of drymix mortars. It is being awarded for individual products (and not for product ranges or entire portfolios of a member company). Especially in the segment of Cementitious Tile Adhesives (CTA) many inferior products can be found in the market. The MEDMA Seal of Quality highlights products that display proven performance against the relevant standards (in case of CTA this is ISO 13007). MEDMA members can apply for it and thus differentiate their products from those of unfair competition. In its recent meeting, the EC of MEDMA has decided to award two MEDMA Seals of Quality for each member, provided the prerequisites set forth in its regulations have been met. This way, the EC intends to support the members in their strive to improve drymix mortar quality in the Middle East, to gain experience in the administrative procedure and to strengthen the MEDMA Seal of Quality Program.

Information on and Applications for the MEDMA Seal of Quality can be handed in to Leo immediately. If accepted, the (free) license to use the MEDMA Seal of Quality will run for two years, after that period, the MEDMA Seal of Quality becomes chargeable. Approved additional applications are chargeable immediately, the current rate is AED 5.000 for the first two-year period (subject to revision by MEDMA EC). The offer is limited until 31. May 2017, all applications after that date are chargeable at the posted rates.

5. Short Report about MEDMA Goverment Hearing on EIFS in Dubai on 13. March 2017

Since about 2 years, The Middle East Drymix Mortar Association MEDMA e.V. engages strongly in the creating and adaptation of new regulations concerning the application, approval and certification of External Insulation and Finishing Systems (EIFS). The MEDMA Workgroup on EIFS has worked out a directive on all aspects of proper application of EIFS and initiated a Government Hearing on the topic on Monday, 13. March 2017 at Dubai Municipality headquarters. The workgroup consists of MEDMA members BASF, Dow, Henkel, Mapei, Tecon, Terraco, Wacker and Caparol.

The reason for this Government Hearing was to address the existing unclear situation in the approval process of EIFS throughout the UAE. Developers, consultants and contractors are insecure since they are obliged to thermally insulate all new buildings (eventually also the existing ones) but cannot get approval for their systems due to inconsistent rulings from (Dubai) Municipality and Dubai Civil Defense (see also: MEDMA/SEADMA Technical Bulletin 11).

Dubai Municipality (DM, represented by Eng. Ahmed Abdullah Al Salami) and Dubai Central Laboratories (DCL, represented by Eng. Ali A. Elian) welcomed the assembly in beautiful Al Barza Hall, a flight of statly rooms decorated in Emirati style. Ghassan Mansour Al Khoury gave a short overview on the use of EIFS globally, with particular focus on Europe and the Middle East. He then presented the MEDMA directive to the staff of DM and DCL. The main hindrance in obtaining proper permits currently is the different approach on fire rating by DM vs. DCD. The MEDMA workgroup on EIFS clarified that only a complete system approval makes sense for EIFS, its recommendation is testing according to ETAG 004. None of the recent fires in the UAE had anything to do with EIFS. Concerning the fire rating, all systems offered by MEDMA members pass easily the requirements of NFPA 285 and thus should be permitted for applications in the UAE. The assembly also discussed the idea of certifying EIFS applicators, which met wide approval. MEDMA was entrusted to prepare a draft for applicator/contractor certification measure for inclusion in the future requirements when bidding on EIFS jobs in the United Arab Emirates.

6. AkzoNobel Turns Down Takeover Offer by PPG Industries, Reviews Options for Specialty Chemicals

AkzoNobel N.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has recently rejected a proposal by PPG Industries Ohio, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, USA to take over all its issued and outstanding shares. The proposal is a combined cash/shares offer with a current overall worth of 21.000 mio Euro. AkzoNobel stated in a recent press release that this offer „substantially undervalues“ the company. The two companies are large and almost the same size: In 2016, AkzoNobel reported a turnover of 14.200 mio Euro while PPG Industries reported 14.410 mio Euro (for 2015). In the wake of this offer, AkzoNobel has announced a review of strategic options for the separation of its Specialty Chemicals business which is supposed to include the option of forming a separate entity for it. This business targets the construction, industrial and consumer goods segments and had a turnover of 4.514 mio Euro in 2016. Quoting Ton Büchner, CEO, AkzoNobel: “… We are extremely proud of (our Specialty Chemicals business’) heritage, performance and people. We are reviewing strategic options to separate it from the company to create focus for both Specialty Chemicals and the Decorative Paints and Performance Coatings group."

There is another substantial takeover bit going on in the coating segment of the US, which Sherwin-Williams, Cleveland, OH, USA (turnover in 2013: 9.471 mio Euro) has issued for Valspar, Minneapolis, MN, USA (revenue in 2016: 3.942 mio Euro). Anti-trust approval is pending for this deal.

7. SphereFill (Suek Baltic) Joins drymix.info as Industrial Partner

SphereFill, a division of UAB Suek Baltic, Vilnius Lithuania has recently decided to join drymix.info as an Industrial Partner. The company belongs to a major and globally operating distributor of coal from Siberia (JSC Siberian Coal Energy/Suek). SphereFill manufactures ultra low density cenospheres (small hollow beads consisting of silica and alumina) of various gradations from it’s own power stations, and also trades cenospheres and glass microspheres from other global partners, for the use as lightweight filler in drymix mortars.

We warmly welcome Spherefill to our Community.

8. Owner Change at Homatherm

Effective 1. March 2017, the newly formed Homanit Building Materials KG, Losheim am See, Germany, has taken over all assets of former Homatherm GmbH with its plant in Berga, Germany. The company is a daughter company of Homanit GmbH. Homanit produces thermal insulation panels based on wood fibers, the brand name Homatherm will be maintained by Homanit (company claim "natural insulation").

9. Rockwool Invests in New Plants in Sweden, Romania and the US

Rockwool International A/S, Hedenhusene, Denmark has announced investments into new plants on a global level. Rockwool manufactures mineral wool panels used for thermal and sound insulation of buildings. The group turnover was 2.200 mio Euro in 2016. After spending 100 mio Euro in 2016, a similar sum will be invested into new production units in Sweden, Romania and the US.
 
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Sincerely Yours, Ferdinand Leopolder