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drymix.info Newsletter 242/2020; ISSN Number 1613-0111; 16. September 2020

1. 4th MORTAR CONVENTION, 20. Oct. 20: New Features for Delegates, Program
2. Follow drymix.info on Twitter to Get Updates
3. Intended Changes to Tile Adhesive Standard EN 12004-1 as proposed by CEN/TC 67/WG 3
4. Bostik Germany Breaks Ground for New Logistics Hub
5. Spanish Tile Exports in First Half of 2020 up 9,5% over 2019
6. Wuthelam Group Will Become Majority Owner of Nippon Paints

1. 4th MORTAR CONVENTION, 20. Oct. 20: New Features for Delegates, Program

Mortar experts from around the world meet on 20. October for the 4th MORTAR CONVENTION to experience a Live Event Online as virtual community meeting with lectures and networking. Already over 150 delegates have registered. Apart from the features announced in our last Newsletter (make appointments with sponsors, networking by chatting, enjoying industry showcase and company specific content), each delegate can now even upload her/his foto, position, company and a link if so desired.

We have completed the program sequence recently. Your feedback from May told us to low ample networking time, so we have divided up our lectures into 5 segments - with 35 to 45 min breaks between each segment. Therefore the entire 4th MORTAR CONVENTION will last for close to 9 hrs, but we are sure you can enjoy it better this way. Here is our program in detail (subject to change without notice, PP stands for Product Presentation):

SEGMENT A
from 13:00 Singapore time, from 7:00 Munich Time
drymix.info GmbH, Ferdinand Leopolder: (Welcome and Review of Industry Showcase and other Delegate Options)
Blackburn Chemicals, Dr. Phil Cooper, PP: Development of Foam Control and Shrinkage Reducing Agents for Drymix Building Products
Avebe, Lucas Markvoort and Jagdeep Singh: Properties and Benefits of Starch Ethers in Gypsum Formulations
IMCD, Manuel Baumann, PP: Fibraflex – a Flexible Non-corrosive Amorphous Metallic Fibre for Innovative Mortar and Concrete Applications
Synthomer, Dr. Charles Bobichon: A New Redispersible Polymer Powder for Improved Heat Adhesion in Cementitious Tile Adhesives
Imerys Aluminates, Dr. Laure Martin Al Khatib: Sub-floor Material for a Perfect Finish: Self Levelling Underlayment Empowered by Calcium Aluminates
Coffee Break from ca. 14:35 Singapore Time, 08:35 Munich Time

SEGMENT B
from 15:05 Singapore time, from 9:05 Munich Time
Testing Bluhm & Feuerherdt, Hans-Heinrich Reuter: PP: Consistency Mixer with Torque Measurement, Bond Strength Tester with Deformation Measurement and Setting Time Testers: Vicat vs. Ultrasonic
Haver&Boecker, Michael Mestekemper and Henrik Knoche: PP: Bag to the Future II
Wacker Chemie, Mohammed Sanaobar: The House of Sustainable Solutions
Demix Indonesia, Fitria Novita: Marriage between the Elegance of Tradition and the Expertise of Modern Days: Tile Adhesives for Large-Format Tiles
Eirich, Jürgen Klemke: PP: Eirich Control Technology 4.0 for the Building Materials Industry
Morning Snacks ca. 16:15 Singapore Time, 10:15 Munich Time

SEGMENT C
from 16:45 Singapore time, from 10:45 Munich Time
Almatis, (Doris van Garsel): Almatis Company Presentation
Somani Ecobuild, Dr. Sumon Chakravarty: Sand for Industrial Mortars in India
Panel EN 12004-1, Gülden Tombaş, Dr. Stefano Carrà and Dr. Roger Zurbriggen: Intended Changes to Tile Adhesive Standard EN 12004-1 as proposed by CEN/TC 67/WG 3
NFLG, Cathy Liao: PP: Large-Volume Automated Production of Gypsum-based Drymix Mortars
Lunch Break ca. 17:45 Singapore Time, 11:45 Munich Time

SEGMENT D
from 18:25 Singapore time, from 12:25 Munich Time
Kalekim, Yelda Yorulmaz: The Effects of Filler Impurities on Hydration Reactions and Mechanical Performance of Cement Based Tile Adhesive Mortars
Actemium, Sofraden Div., Nicolas Genevrier: PP: Current Health Crisis: the Right Time to Think about Automating Your Mixing Plant
Baerlocher, Constantin Röper: Speciality Soaps as Hydrophobic Agents for Lime-Cement and Gypsum based Building Materials
m-tec, Timo Flamm: What´s on in 3D Construction Printing
Calucem, Dr. Markus Schmid: Highly Efficient Calcium Aluminate Cements for Modern Building Products
Tea Break ca. 19:50 Singapore Time, 13:50 Munich Time

SEGMENT E
from 19:50 Singapore time, from 13:50 Munich Time
Polyplast, Artem Agashin: PP: Superplasticizers and Redispersible Powders for Drymix Mortars
Omya, Thomas Lys: The Use of Selected Calcium Carbonates as Mineral Plasticizers and Mineral Accelerators in Dry Mortar Applications
Yillong Chemical, Doğuhan Çelik: PP: Master of Cellulose Ether: Mastercell
m-tec: Kutlu Güvenç: PP: Requirements of High Quality in Dry Mortar Mixing Plants
Evonik, Markus Roos: Airvoid Management for Drymix Mortars - Defoamer Technology
drymix.info, Ferdinand Leopolder: Post Event Lounge Party and Farewell
End of Live Event Online: about 22:00 Singapore Time, 16:00 Munich Time

Register now for the 4th MORTAR CONVENTION at drymix.info. The admission package includes a physical copy of our Drymix Mortar Yearbook 2020, access to the event and exclusive access to our post-event zone (after 20. October), where you can re-view or research the conference topics. Admission to the 4th MORTAR CONVENTION is 120 Euro reduced for drymix.info, MEDMA and SEADMA partners to 80 Euro. Drymix mortar manufacturers pay only 40 Euro. Participation is limited to 500 delegates. Please support your drymix mortar community by registering immediately at www.drymix.info using your credit card (Visa or Master accepted). Individual invoicing for bank-to-bank transfer is not possible, sorry.

2. Follow drymix.info on Twitter to Get Updates

A complex Live Event online such as the 4th MORTAR CONVENTION requires special communication strategies, especially when it comes to immediate changes in the program. We have recently started a drymix.info feed on Twitter (@drymixinfo), to which we recommend you to subscribe. This way you will always be up-to-date concerning our events and important facts from the drymix mortar industry worldwide.

3. Intended Changes to Tile Adhesive Standard EN 12004-1 as proposed by CEN/TC 67/WG 3

The European Norm EN 12004 for tile adhesives is being monitored and discussed by a fixed workgroup (WG) of Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN, European Standardization Committee) Technical Committee (TC) 67 called CEN/TC 67/WG 3. This group consists of representatives from each Nation of the European Community. The individual members come  from mortar producers and testing bodies but also from research institutions.

In the recent past the European Commission has adopted a strategy by which it rejects norm revisions to building products (including EN 12004) if the standard includes classifications above the bare minimum requirement. Therefore, WG 3 is completely revising part 1 of EN 12004. In a draft document from earlier this year, in the segment of cementitious tile adhesives (C), only the specification for the current C1 classification remains in place (bond strength after normal conditions, water immersion, heat ageing and freeze/thaw cycles must reach 0,5 N/sq mm), this tile adhesive is being called „Normal Setting Tile Adhesive“ (1a). A new product called „Fast Setting Tile Adhesive“ (1b) is being introduced, which additionally only requires an early tensile adhesion strength of  0,5 N/sq mm within the first 6 hours after application - this would be a C1F tile adhesive in the existing standard. The specifications for dispersion based tile adhesives (D) and resin-bound tile adhesives (R) remain unchanged.

In the cementitious segment, the other groups or types of tile adhesives have been eliminated altogether, this includes the important group C2 with higher performance and adhesion (1,0 N/sq mm after all storages) and the types with extended open time (E), thixotropy (T) and fast setting (F) as well as types with higher flexibilities as specified by types S1 and S2.

At first sight, the elimination of those groups and types is a step back, especially in light of the fact that most tiles today are highly vitrified and a cementitious tile adhesive C1 will NOT adhere to their backs. On the other hand the changes of WG 3 reflect only the mandatory requirements for cementitious tile adhesives to obtain the CE Mark. Groups and types such as T, E, F, C1, C2, S1, S2 (and even new types or groups) would become voluntary, but would be included in a new part of EN 12004.

There will be an open panel discussion of this topic during our upcoming 4th MORTAR CONVENTION  on 20. October 2020: CEN/TC 67/WG 3 members Gülden Tombas (Turkey) and Dr. Stefano Carrà (Italy) as well as independent expert Dr. Roger Zurbriggen (Switzerland) will discuss and analyze the impact of this change for our industry.

4. Bostik Germany Breaks Ground for New Logistics Hub

Bostik GmbH in Borgholzhausen, Germany has recently broken ground to build its new logistics hub. Bostik will erect a 10.000 sq m automated storage facility at its headquarters in Borgholzhausen. The facility will be able to store 60.000 pallets of (tile) adhesives, levelling compounds, specialty adhesives as well as choice raw materials. The new logistics hub features 10 industrial truck-ports and is expected to open on 1. May 2021.

5. Spanish Tile Exports in First Half of 2020 up 9,5% over 2019

According to the industry network Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Azulejos y Pavimentos Cerámicos ASCER, Castellón, Spain, which operates the Tile of Spain network, there is a strong increase in ceramic tile exports to Western Europe, namely to Germany. In Germany alone, the increase in volume this year was even 21,7 % over the first half year of 2019, amounting to 59,4 mio Euro by value (Switzerland + 4,1 %, Austria + 9,8%). The increase could be attributed to the facts that renovations play a major role in Germany at this point in time, many projects from 2019 are in the completion phase and also building activity in Germany is up by 10 % over 2019 (we reported earlier). According to ASCER most other markets also show an increase in consumption, in overall figures, exports of tiles from Spain gained 9,5% in the first half of 2020 (the total value in the period was 1.300 mio Euro). Only smaller markets such as Great Britain, Morocco and Italy showed a slight loss.

6. Wuthelam Group Will Become Majority Owner of Nippon Paints

Wuthelam Holdings Pte Ltd of Singapore, founded by Goh Cheng Liang in 1977 announced recently that it reached an agreement with Nippon Paint Holdings Co Ltd of Ōsaka, Japan, to take over shares worth 9.430 mio Euro. Wuthelam’s stake in Nippon Paints will rise to just under 60% (up from 39%). Both parties have cooperated since a long time, with precursors of Wuthelam being sole agents for Nippon Paints in South East Asia already since 1962. As part of the agreement, Nippon Paint will use most of the fresh funds to take over Wuthelam's stakes in several joint ventures in Asia (China, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and India for 8.430 mio Euro), as well as Wuthelam's fully owned subsidiary in Indonesia for 1.686 mio Euro.

Nippon Paint, founded in 1881, is the market leader for paints and coatings in Japan. The company is seeking growth outside its home market and recently also acquired DuluxGroup in Australia (we reported earlier). Today, Nippon Paint achieves 52% of its turnover in Asia and only 26% in Japan. “Asia is becoming a key region for the company’s sustainable growth in terms of both market size and growth rate due to its projected demographic and economic growth leading to increasing demand,” Nippon Paint said in a statement to Reuters. The Japanese firm will remain listed, and its top shareholder Wuthelam will not sell the company, said Masaaki Tanaka, chief executive officer of Nippon Paint Holdings. The deal is expected to finalize in January 2021, provided that the usual anti-trust clearances have been obtained.

WE KEEP BUILDING


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Editor-in-Chief: Ferdinand Leopolder. 

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Sincerely Yours, Ferdinand Leopolder