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drymix.info Newsletter 150/2014; ISSN Number 1613-0111; 7. May 2014

1. The Philippine Drymix Mortar Meeting, 1. July 2014
2. The Taiwan Drymix Mortar Meeting, 3. July 2014
3. cedmmc four, Istanbul, Turkey: Preliminary Programme
4. Henan Botai Joins drymix.info as Industrial Partner
5. TUM Opens Center for Advanced PCE Studies
6. Wietersdorfer Signs Agreement with Buzzi Unichem
7. Al Omaraa (Egypt) CTA Plant to be Built by LB-Technology
8. Capital of Expats Flows back to India and into Real Estate
9. Kingdom Tower Project in Jeddah Well on its Way

1. The Philippine Drymix Mortar Meeting, 1. July 2014

The South East Asia Drymix Mortar Association SEADMA and drymix.info, the International Community for Drymix Mortars are inviting to The Philippine Drymix Mortar Meeting. The networking event takes place on 1. July 2014, 09:00 - 14:00 at F1 Hotel Manila, Bonifacio Global City. The Philippine Drymix Mortar Meeting unites all quality manufacturers of mortars with their suppliers and distributors. It features scientific lectures about  important applications of drymix mortars with specific focus upon measures to improve the overall quality as well as standardisation and/or certification of mortars. Ferdinand Leopolder will present a general paper on standardisation and implementation practices, followed by a moderated discussion about measures the industry wishes to undertake. SEADMA, as a neutral industry association can play a role in developing a standards and -enforcement system in the Philippines. The Call for Papers is available on www.drymix.info and expires on 19. May 2014.

Cover charges apply. Mortar manufacturers enjoy a discount larger than 90% off the regular admission (their first delegate is free of charge, all others pay only P3.000 | 50 € per person). Online registration is available from today on www.drymix.info (Visa or Mastercard required). A meeting such as this one would not be possible without industry sponsoring, so we hereby encourage all suppliers and distributors to consider sponsoring the event by their attendance or actual sponsoring support (see also www.drymix.info).

2. The Taiwan Drymix Mortar Meeting, 3. July 2014

drymix.info is inviting all drymix mortar experts to join the Taiwan Drymix Mortar Meeting. The networking event takes place on 3. July 2014, 09:00 until 14:00 at Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel. The Taiwan Drymix Mortar Meeting unites manufacturers of quality drymix mortars with their suppliers and distributors. We will discuss new solutions in the most important application, tile adhesives and also review the mortar markets in Taiwan, East Asia and the global markets (lecture by Ferdinand Leopolder). The lectures for the The Taiwan Drymix Mortar Meeting are being arranged by drymix.info and its industrial partners  (please enquire with us if you are interested). The programme will also include a moderated discussion about the future joint activities of the Taiwan drymix mortar industry. The Call for Papers is available on www.drymix.info and expires on 19. May 2014.

Admissions are structured just like for the Philippines Meeting (see above):
Mortar manufacturers: first delegate free of charge, all others: TW$ 2.100 | 50 €; Industry Observers: TW$ 21.000 | 500 € per person ; Members of drymix.info: TW$ 17.000 | 400 € per person; Supporter Groups: TW$ 50.000 | 1.200 € (includes 3 admissions and certain sponsoring rights). A meeting such as this one is not possible without industry sponsoring, so we hereby do encourage all suppliers and distributors to consider sponsoring the event by their attendance or actual sponsoring support (see also www.drymix.info).

3. cedmmc four, 21.9.14, Istanbul, Turkey: Preliminary Programme

The Fourth Central and South European Drymix Mortar Conference and Industry Showcase cedmmc four takes place on 11. September 2014 at Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey. All delegates are also invited to our welcome event, a boat tour on the Bosphorus in the evening of 10. September (don't miss this!). The full-day event features distinguished speakers who will focus on recent developments in the drymix mortar industry. Experts in the field of drymix mortars from around the world will be present, ensuring a highly diverse audience. The Drymix Mortar Yearbook 2014 is published on occasion of this event. Online registration is now possible at www.drymix.info.

Here is the Preliminary Programme (as of 15.4.14, in alphabetical order, subject to change without notice):
L. Bertrand, Kerneos: Impact of Calcium Aluminates Mineralogy on Hydration in Ettringitic Systems
T. Delibas, Cimsa: Effect of Metakaolin Addition on the Mechanical Properties of White Cement Based Tile Adhesives
B. Gozogul, Dow Construction Chemicals: Cellulose Ethers for High Performance Tile Adhesives
F. Inceoglu, Kalekim: Use of Blended Cement in Drymix Mortar Applications: Microstructure and Performance Aspects
E. Köß, Haver & Boecker: High Performance Filling of Dry Mortar Products
(M. Monaco), Mapei: Microscopy Analysis of Cementitious Tile Adhesives
J. Y. Petit, Momentive: An Investigation on Gypsum-based Tile Adhesive
M. Roos, Evonik: Organomodified Siloxanes for Air Void Control in Gypsum Based Mortars
O. F. Sen, Organik Kimya: Effects of Redispersible Powder Polymers' Tg on Flexibility of Cementitious Mortars
K. Sorger, Wacker Chemie: A Comparison of Different Cement Types - CEM I, CEM II and CEM III - in Tile Adhesives and ETICS Mortars
(R. Zurbriggen), Akzo Nobel Chemicals: Additives for Sustainable Dry Mortar Gypsum Technology

4. Henan Botai Joins drymix.info as Industrial Partner

Henan Botai Chemical Building Materials Co.,Ltd., Zhengzhou, China has decided to become an industrial Partner of drymix.ino. The company is a producer of additives for building materials. Henan Botai offers products such as Cellulose ethers, Calcium formate, Polypropylene fibers, Redispersible Powders and Superplasticizers for the use in drymix mortars and concrete. Henan Botai is part of Victo (H.K) Chemical Group Ltd., Hongkong.

We warmly welcome Henan Botai to our community.

5. TUM Opens Center for Advanced PCE Studies

Recently Technische Universität München (TUM), Germany has opened ints research Center for Advanced PCE Studies. PCE stands for PolyCarboxylate Ethers the most important group of superplasticizers (or: water reducers) for the construciton chemicals industry. The new center was initiated by the Chair for Construction Chemistry, headed by Prof. Dr. Johann Plank. Instead of only a formal opening ceremony, TUM had invited guests from all continents to take part in a technical symposium in April in Munich. The inventor of PCEs, Dr.  Tsuyoshi Hirata gave a short speech about the discovery. He is senior principal researcher at Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan and will be the first fellow at the new PCE center at TUM. The programme was completed by lectures from Sika, MC-Bauchemie, Clariant, Oxiranchem, Beijing University of Technology, Knauf Gips and TUM. Strong support for the new PCE center came from China: Prof. Dr. Zhu Jianmin of Liaoning Oxiranchem and Mr. Zheng Chunyang of ARIT New Materials Co. made substantial donations towards the project.

6. Wietersdorfer Signs Cooperation Agreement with Buzzi Unichem

Wietersdorfer Industrie-Beteiligungs-GmbH, Klagenfurt, Austria, has recently signed an agreement with the Italian cement manufacturer Buzzi Unicem SpA, Casale Monferrato, Italy concerning a cooperation and an exchange of assets. Buzzi Unicem will transfer the Cadola cement plant (Belluno, italy) to w&p Cementi SpA, San Vito, Italy, a subsidiary of w&p Zementwerke GmbH headquartered in Austria. The Cadola plant has a capacity of 300,000 tonnes of cement per year. The agreement also gives Wietersdorfer a five-year option to acquire the Travesio plant (Pordenone, Italy) that has an annual capacity of 400,000 tonnes. In return, Buzzi Unicem will receive a 25% stake in w&p Cementi SpA, which operates a grinding facility in San Vito al Tagliamento with an annual capacity of 300,000 tonnes. Furthermore, Buzzi Unicem will acquire a 25% interest in Salonit d.d., a cement plant based in Anhovo, Slovenia, which is part of Wietersdorfer.

7. Al Omaraa (Egypt) CTA Plant to be Built by LB-Technology

Al Omaraa (Ceramica La Beauté), Cairo, Egypt has recently signed an agreement with LB Technology, Sassuolo, Italy to build a plant for cementitious tile adhesives (CTA). Al Omaraa was previously focussed on producing single-fired and red-body double-fired materials, has recently started to produce new low water absorption porcelain tiles, which require a special adhesive. The company will install the powdered adhesive unit at its Majestic plant in 10th of Ramadam City, initial capacity will be around 10.000 t/a, with an option to double production using the same infrastructure.

8. Capital of Expats Flows back to India and into Real Estate

During the past 6 month, the Indian Rupee took a decisive dive concerning the exchange rate towards other currencies, mainly the US$ and the Euro. This has led to a run on banks abroad, since expatriates decided to change back their foreign currency into Rupees for investments back at home. This move gave them a 30% advantage over the prices they would have had to pay for real estate property in 2012. A staggering 1.500 mio Euro went into real estate this way, with a considerable share spurring small to medium scale construction projects, some of which are already reaching completion. Indian expats invested at least 35% more on buying homes across the country as against the previous year, and bought almost 12% the apartment available to the market in the top seven cities (quoting property advisory firm JLL; these figures do not even include Punjab, Gujarat and Kerala states where most of the repatriation happens.

9. Kingdom Tower Project in Jeddah Well on its Way

In early May 2014, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), Riyadh  reported about the progress of Kingdom Tower, planned to be the tallest building on earth with a height of over 1.000 m. The project management is being handled by British company EC Harris/Mace, London. The piling work has been completed (by Saudi Bauer Company) and work overground can start now. Contracts for infrastructure and services for the project such as electricity, water and district cooling have been awarded.

The ambitious project will be a mixed-use building featuring a five star luxury hotel (Four Seasons), serviced apartments, office space, luxury condominiums as well as the world’s  highest observation deck. Overall cost is estimated to be around 900 mio Euro, completion is scheduled within 5 years from now.

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. Please also check our Chinese Edition on www.drymix.info. Should you want to discontinue your subscription, please return this newsletter with the reference UNSUBSCRIBE to info (at) drymix. info. All information © 2003 - 2014 by drymix. info, Ferdinand Leopolder, Tegernseer Landstrasse 26, D-81541 München.

Sincerely Yours, Ferdinand Leopolder