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drymix.info Newsletter 273/2022; ISSN Number 1613-0111; 2. August 2022

1. Report: Dubai, 21.6.22: MEDMA AGM Votes for Laith Haboubi as its New President

2. Singapore, 20. August 2022: 2nd SEADMA Family Picnic & Grill-Out

3. Istanbul, 15. September 2022,: cedmmc7 with Bosphorus Cruise: already over 45 Registrations

4. GDCh Invites to its 4. ICCCM from 26 to 28 September 2022 to Karlsruhe, Germany

5. The 7th Latin American Drymix Mortar Conference ladmmc7, São Paulo, Brasil, 20. October 2022

6. Coming events: SEADMA/Bangkok, MEDMA/Dubai, SEADMA/Philippines, Nürnberg (2x), Richmond (2x)

7. Calucem/Ciments Molins Builds New High-Alumina Cement Plant in the US

8. MAPEI Announces New Facility in Houston

9. Actemium Builds Additional Sika Drymix Mortar Production Line at Boisbirand, Canada

10. Wacker Increases prices for Dispersions, Resins and Redispersible Powders Produced in Europe

1. Report: Dubai, 21.6.22: MEDMA AGM Votes for Laith Haboubi as its New President

The Middle East Drymix Mortar Association MEDMA, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has met last week on Thursday, 21. July 2022 at Le Méridien Dubai (Airport). The sole purpose of this meeting was to elect a new President. Laith Haboubi had volunteered to run for office. Laith is Vice President Middle East for the Vector Corrosion Group (a Canadian company specializing in the investigation, design, specification and supply of corrosion solutions for reinforced concrete and post tensioning). He has a lot of experience in the construction chemicals industry in the Near and Middle East region and a strong focus on drymix mortars. Amongst others he worked at Mapei, Grace and MCT in the mortar business. Ferdinand Leopolder in turn steps down from the Presidency and assumes the role of Secretary General.

Dubai, 21.6.22: MEDMA AGM with Martin Rosocha,Ferdinand Leopolder, Laith Haboubi, Simon Ambauen, Somas Kanth, Mohammed Elassi, Prof. Mufid Samarai

Despite the prevailing heat (and the vacation season), MEDMA could welcome 5 members (drymix.info, JK Cement, Reda, Sharjah Research Academy and Sika) plus one guest (Caparol/DAW). MEDMA had allowed advance voting by e-mail, 6 more votes were collected this way (Calucem, Conmix, Eirich, Evonik, Imerys and Wacker Chemie). Both candidates were elected with 10 votes and 2 abstentions.

Once elected, Laith stated that he will act as a neutral, unbiased yet knowledgable President. Apart from the mortar industry and product standardization, his focus will be on including consultants and developers in the process of promoting drymix mortar technology on the Gulf. In terms of regions outside the IUAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt were mentioned as the most important..

In the course of the meeting, the assembly decided to hold the next MEDMA conference soon. „Drymix Mortars in the Middle East“ is planned for Mid-January 2023 in Dubai, UAE.

2. Singapore, 20. August 2022: 2nd SEADMA Family Picnic & Grill-Out

The South East Asia Drymix Mortar Association SEADMA, Ltd., Singapore invites to its second Family Picnic & Grill-Out on Saturday, 20. August 22, 16:00 at The Trizon in Singapore. Members, partners and friends are invited to this casual affair, Leo brings sausages from Germany. Please tell us if you are coming, we of course need your confirmation, we will then share with you the exact directions.

3. Istanbul, 15. September 2022,: cedmmc7 with Bosphorus Cruise:  already over 45 Registrations

The splendid Çırağan Palace in Istanbul opens its gates again for us: the 7th Central and South European Drymix Mortar Conference cedmmc7 takes place on 15. September 2022 there. Do not miss this highlight within the drymix mortar industry and meet experts from all over Central Europe and Asia Minor. Join us for our comprehensive technical lecturing program and networking with  industry experts. After the conference, right from the Palace's Pier, we start our sunset cruise on Bosphorus, sponsored by Calucem, Kalekim and Wacker Chemie (thanks a lot!).

Conference registration has already started at drymix.info (Visa and Mastercard accepted), over 45 people have already registered. Admission to cedmmc7 is 390 Euro, reduced for drymix.info, SEADMA and MEDMA partners to 290 Euro. Drymix Mortar Manufacturers pay only 190 Euro.

4. Karlsruhe, 26.-28. September 2022, GDCh: 4th International Conference on the Chemistry of Construction Materials

The German Society of Chemists (Gesellschaft deutscher Chemiker GDCh) Fachgruppe Bauchemie invites to its 4th international conference on the Chemistry of Construction Materials (4.ICCCM). This event provides an excellent forum for scientists, research facilities and the industry to present results and discuss the challenges in all fields of construction materials science. Interdisciplinary presentations, workshops as well as an industry showcase illuminate the many aspects of this topic. Drymix.info is proud to cooperate by organizing the sponsoring support of this event. Registration is open at https://veranstaltungen.gdch.de/tms/frontend/index.cfm?l=11018&sp_id=2&selMicrosite=70253.

5. The 7th Latin American Drymix Mortar Conference ladmmc7, São Paulo, Brasil, 20. October 2022

The 7th Latin American Drymix Mortar Conference and Industry Showcase ladmmc7 takes place at Espaço Escandinavo, São Paulo, Brasil, 20. October 2022. Our Technical Chairman is Mario Kristeller will publish the program in the next Newsletter (the Call for Papers has expired last week). Simultaneous translation português - english is provided for all delegates.

Conference registration will soon be available at drymix.info (Visa and Mastercard accepted). Admission to ladmmc7 is 390 Euro, reduced for drymix.info, SEADMA and MEDMA partners to 290 Euro. Drymix Mortar Manufacturers pay only 190 Euro.

6. Coming events: SEADMA/Bangkok, MEDMA/Dubai, SEADMA/Philippines, Nürnberg (2x), Richmond (2x)

Planning ahead, SEADMA, MEDMA and drymix.info have determined the dates of coming events. Of course nobody can predict the course the pandemic takes in the next half year, but we thought having a plan is better than having none...

6. December 2022: The SEADMA Annual Conference in Bangkok
17. January 2023: Drymix Mortars in the Middle East (MEDMA Conference) in Dubai

9. February 2023: The 4th Philippine Drymix Mortar Meeting in Manila

27. March 2023: 9th International Drymix Mortar Conference idmmc9 in Nürnberg (with the traditional Delegate welcome on Sunday, 26.3.23 at Barfüsser). Attention: Call for Papers ends 1. October 2022!

28. March 2023: Construction Chemicals Session at European Coatings Congress, Chairmen: Prof. Dr. Andreas Gerdes and Ferdinand Leopolder. Attention: Call for Papers ends 15. September 2022!

June 8, 2023: 7th American Drymix Mortar Conference admmc7 in Richmond, Virginia, USA with an evening event for all delegates
June 9, 2023: ScalingUp 3D (symposium on 3D printing with mortars) including an excursion, also in Richmond, VA

17. October 2023: 7th India Drymix Mortar Conference in Mumbai, India

20. and 21. November 2023: Combined Event with Evening Program: SEADMA Annual Conference + Australia Drymix Mortar Meeting in Bali, Indonesia

(date tbd): Annual MEDMA Conference in Dubai

7. Calucem/Ciments Molins Builds New High-Alumina Cement Plant in the US

Calucem GmbH, Mannheim, Germany, a 100% subsidiary of Cementos Molins, Barcelona, Spain has announced a Euro 34 mio (USD 35 mio) investment in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, yesterday: The company will make a greenfield investment into a new high alumina cement plant, its first manufacturing facility in the US. The new site, about 16.000 sq. m. (9 acres), is located at East New Orlean's industrial canal. According to Calucem, construction will start immediately and the plant is expected to be in operation in the third quarter of 2023. The new plant will directly create 70 jobs and about double this number of indirect employment in the area. Cementos Molins operates facilities in 12 countries on four continents and the new plant in New Orleans will be its third high alumina cement production, joining Barcelona in Spain, and Pula in Croatia.

8. MAPEI Announces New Facility in Houston

Mapei S.p.a. of Milan, Italy has announced the acquisition of a new location of roughly 18.500 sq.m. (4.5 acres) in Houston, Texas. Mapei will build production facilities for drymix mortars and concrete admixtures there. The company expects to create 80 new jobs in the area, the plot is large enough for further expansion. Production is expected to start in Houston within 2023. Other Mapei facilities in Dalton, Georgia and Fredericksburg, Virginia are also currently under construction and expected to be opened soon.

9. Actemium Builds Additional Sika Drymix Mortar Production Line at Boisbirand, Canada

Sika Canada Inc. of Pointe-Claire, Canada has contracted the services of Actemium of St. Etienne, France for the turnkey construction of its second construction products mixing line on its existing site in Boisbirand near Montreal, Canada. Sika chose a vertical, modular plant system where a mobile hopper charges the mixer (“Flexiplant”), capacities were not disclosed.

10. Wacker Increases prices for Dispersions, Resins and Redispersible Powders Produced in Europe

Wacker Chemie AG has announced a price increase (already effective on 1. July 2022) for polymer dispersions, resins and redispersible powders sourced from its production sites in Europe. The prices will be raised by up to 10% (or as customer contracts allow), this increase also applies for existing temporary surcharges for redispersible powders. The company cites the rising costs of raw materials and logistics as reason for this measure.


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Editor-in-Chief: Ferdinand Leopolder. 


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Sincerely Yours, Ferdinand Leopolder