Trouble reading this e-mail? View it it in your browser window.

drymix.info Newsletter 215/2018; ISSN Number 1613-0111; 2. Nov 2018

1. SEADMA Mortar Technology Day, 7.11.18: already 45 Registrations
2. 13th Annual SEADMA Conference, 8.11.18: Delegates from all over SEA Registered
3. Second MEDMA Contractor/Consultant Workshop on Renders at Sharjah Research Academy, UAE, 25. 11 2018 (New Date!)
4. IMCD Acquires Velox
5. Evonik Enters into a JV with Wynca for the Production of Fumed Silica
6. Emaar Buys White Cement Plant in Egypt from Helwan/HeidelbergCement
7. BASF will Double its Dispersion Capacity in Malaysia
8. Knauf Gruppe Increases Prices in 2019
9. Codex Opens New Plant in Ulm/Germany

1. SEADMA Mortar Technology Day, 7.11.18: already 45 Registrations

SEADMA Mortar Technology day is a workshop type event for developers, consultants, architects and (sub-) contractors alike, we have already enlisetd the assistance of 45 delegates from the Thai construction industry. The Thai chapter of SEADMA (Thai Concrete Association, Drymix Mortar Subchapter) and The South East Asia Drymix Mortar Association SEADMA in cooperation with the main partners Bouygues Thai, Maltech, Parex Group and Insee Mortar (Siam City Cement) invite to this industry workshop. The program is available online on www.drymix.info.

The SEADMA Mortar Technology Day takes place on 7.11.18, from 13:00 to 18:00 at Swissotel Ratchada (le Concorde), Bangkok. The event is free of charge for the guests of the main partners (by invitation only). Industry observers are admitted, they pay 350 Euro per person, reduced to 270 Euro for drymix.info or SEADMA members or partners. Mortar producers only pay 150 Euro per person. Pre registration is absolutely mandatory.

2. 13th Annual SEADMA Conference, 8.11.18: Delegates from all over SEA Registered

Now is the last chance to register for the 13th Annual SEADMA Conference. We expect delegates from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand (of course) and Vietnam, as well as several European Nations. It will be (as always) a truly international affair.  Our comprehensive technical program (available online) will provide plenty of information and networking time for you.

Admission to the 13th Annual SEADMA Conference on 8.11.18 is 350 €, reduced to 270 Euro for SEADMA, drymix.info or MEDMA Partners. Drymix mortar producers pay only 150 Euro. Special: Mortar Producers from outside Thailand pay only 100 Euro per person. Please register online on www.drymix.info using your credit cards (Visa or Master).

3. Second MEDMA Contractor/Consultant Workshop on Renders at Sharjah Research Academy, UAE, 25. 11 2018 (New Date!)

After the successful first consultant/contractor workshop on Tile Adhesives and ISO13007 implementation in September, the Middle East Drymix Mortar Association MEDMA e.V. is announcing the second one: participating MEDMA members will meet with consultants, architects, contractors and developers during this half-day meeting taking place on Sunday, 25. November 2018 at magnificient Sharjah Research Academy (in front of University City, when coming from the Airport Road Entrance) from 10:00 to 13:00.

Our topic is the industrial application of renders (plasters) in the United Arab Emirates, from mortar formulation over the standard situation (EN 998 and others) to practical application advice for using mobile silos and automated mixers, pumps and application tools efficiently at the jobsites throughout the UAE.

Admission is free of charge for MEDMA members (mortar manufacturers) and their guests, but pre-registration is absolutely mandatory, please contact drymix.info immediately.

4. IMCD Acquires Velox

IMCD Group (IMCD N.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands has recently announced it will take over of European speciality chemicals distributor Velox GmbH, Hamburg, Germany. Velox, founded in 1993 had a turnover of 155 mio Euro in 2017, EBITDA was 5,4 mio Euro. Velox is active throughout Europe in the plastics, composites, additives, rubber, paints and coatings industries, the company has 225 employees and offices and/or warehouses in 18 countries. A transaction value was not disclosed, the transaction is still subject to regulatiry approvals.

5. Evonik Enters into a JV with Wynca for the Production of Fumed Silica

Evonik Industries, Essen, Germany and Wynca, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China have agreed to form a joint venture (JV) for the production of fumed silica. The new company, in which Evonik will hold 60 percent, will be called Evonik Wynca (Zhenjiang) Silicon Material Co., Ltd. It plans to build a 8.000 t output fumed silica plant in Zhenjiang, to be completed in 2021. The investment for this new production facility at the integrated site in Zhenjiang is said to be in the mid double-digit million Euro range. Wynca itself is in the course of expanding its capacity for organochloro-silanes at the location, which generates a raw material used in the production fumed silica. The formation of the JV is still subject to the approval of the relevant bodies, corporate as well as local.

6. Emaar Buys White Cement Plant in Egypt from Helwan/HeidelbergCement

Emaar Industries, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has reached an agreement to purchase the white cement plant in Minya, Egypt, from Helwan Cement, Cairo, Egypt (part of Suez Cement, in turn part of HeidelbergCement, Heidelberg, Germany). The white cement plant in Minya was commissioned in 1991 and produces CEM I 52.5 and CEM II 42.5 white cements. The transaction value was not disclosed, the deal is still subject to the usual conditions as well as the de-merging of the plant from Helwan Cement. Nevertheless, it is expected to be completed in Q1 2019. “As a niche product with small volumes, the standalone production of white cement does not fit to the strategic focus on efficiency of HeidelbergCement,” said Dr. Bernd Scheifele, Chairman of the Managing Board of HeidelbergCement.

7. BASF to Double its Dispersion Capacity in Malaysia

BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany plans to double its capacity for acrylic dispersions with a new production line at its site in Pasir Gudang, Johor Free Trade Zone, Malaysia. Dispersions produced in at this site (including low-VOC low-odour acrylic dispersions for architectural coatings, construction and adhesives industries) are being sold in the ASEAN Nations but also as far as Australia and New Zealand. The investment project also includes a revamp of the waste water treatment facility, with the addition of a condensed water stripping system. Completion is expected by early 2020. An investment value was not given.

8. Knauf Gruppe Increases Prices in 2019

Gebr. Knauf KG, the holding of Knauf Gruppe (includes Knauf Gips KG), Iphofen, Germany, has announced price increases in 2019. The press release remained unspecific as to which product groups are concerned and also did not mention any percentage of increase. Knauf cites higher raw materials and logistics cost for this measure. Also, due to the fact that energy generation from (brown) coal is being politically discouraged due to the high carbon dioxide output, so-called REA-gypsum from de-sulfurisation has become scarce and thus more expensive in Germany. At the same time, demand for gypsum products in construction remains stable, so lost volumes in REA gypsum have to be compensated with the mining and preparation of natural gypsum.

9. Codex Opens New Plant in Ulm/Germany

Codex GmbH & Co. KG, part of Uzin Utz AG (both Ulm Germany) has recently opened its fully automated drymix mortar plant in Ulm. Codex unites the professional business for tile and natural stone adhesives and grouts of Uzin. The new plant with 60.000 t/a capacity  (as we reported earlier) is located next to the existing Uzin plants, on a plot of land measuring 10.000 square meters. There are also warehousing, administration, training facilities and research & development labs.

The drymix.info Newsletter is being sent exclusively to registered subscribers and all members of drymix.info. Back issues will be published on www.drymix.info.

Editor-in-Chief: Ferdinand Leopolder.

You can always discontinue your subscription, please return this newsletter with the reference UNSUBSCRIBE to info (at) drymix. Info, your data will be erased from our files then.
All information © 2003 - 2018 by Micro-Conference Pte. Ltd., Ferdinand Leopolder, 80 South Bridge Road, #03-01, Singapore, 058710, ACRA Reg. Nr. 201202876N.

Sincerely Yours, Ferdinand Leopolder