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drymix.info Newsletter 160/2015; ISSN Number 1613-0111; 12. January 2015

1. Casual drymix.info Evening during BAU 2015, 21. January 2015
2. Open SEADMA EC, Bangkok, 10.2.15: Founding of The Thai Drymix Mortar Association
3. Founding of The Saudi Drymix Mortar Industry Association at SASO, Riyadh, 22. February 2015
4. MEDMA Workshop on EIFS in Dubai, 25. February 2015 Consultants, Contractors and Developers
5. Asia Summit in Mumbai, 24. March 2015: Preliminary Programme
6. Momentive Changes its Name to Hexion (to ES 15.12.)
7. Holcim and Lafarge Expect Execution of Merger in early 2015
8. Ashland Cooperates with Dairen to Produce Redispersible Powders
9. Sika Management Opposes Announced Takeover by Saint Gobain
10. E·Mix Joins SEADMA as Member
11. drymix.info issues Calls for Papers for Abu Dhabi (May 2015), México (June 2015) and Sao Paulo (November 2015)

1. Casual drymix.info Evening during BAU 2015, 21. January 2015

The casual drymix.info Evening during BAU takes place again on 21. January 2014, from 19:00 at Hofbräukeller, Munich, Innere Wiener Straße 19, 81667 München (see www.hofbraeukeller.de), near subway station Max Weber Platz, U4, U5). This event has become a traditional vanishing point for tired showgoers on "BAU-Wednesday". After a hard day at the fair there is time to chat, have dinner with friends and just have a good time. Seating is limited, so advance registration is absolutely mandatory, please  e-mail us to info@drymix.info. Wacker-Chemie, Calucem and drymix.info are sponsoring this evening, thanks a lot!

2. Open SEADMA EC, Bangkok, 10.2.15: Founding of The Thai Drymix Mortar Association

The South East Asia Drymix Mortar Association SEADMA invites the Thai drymix mortar industry to its first open Executive Committee meeting at Sukhothai Hotel on 10. February 2015, 10:00. Apart from the preparations for the 10th anniversary SEADMA Conference in Bangkok on 19.11.2015, the assembly will discuss further steps to assure the quality of drymix mortars in terms of specifications and standards for Thailand (cooperation with TISI). In the course of the EC meeting, The Thai Drymix Mortar Association will be formally founded, it will be established as a Chapter of SEADMA (under the SEADMA umbrella). Of course membership with SEADMA is mandatory to obtain a voting right in the new association, please enquire with us.

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). The sponsoring package is THB 27.500 | 700 € and it includes two observers as well as the right to set up one quickscreen. The Technical Bulletin 09 will be distributed to all delegates.

Seating is limited, advance registration is absolutely mandatory. Thai drymix mortar manufacturers regardless of whether they are members of SEADMA or not have free access (first delegate free of charge, additional delegates pay only THB 5.000 | 130 €), Industry observers pay THB 9.800 I 250 € per person (reduced to THB 7.8000 | 200 € for members of SEADMA or drymix.info). Online registration is available from 13. January 2015 on www.drymix.info (Visa or Mastercard required).

3. Founding of The Saudi Drymix Mortar Industry Association at SASO, Riyadh, 22. February 2015

The Middle East Drymix Mortar Association MEDMA is announcing the formation of  The Saudi Drymix Mortar Industry Association at the Saudi Standards and Metrology Organisation SASO in Riyadh on 22. Febuary 2015 (exact time for the formal act is still tbd.). In the presence of Eng. Tawfiq Al-Jrayed (SASO) the Saudi drymix mortar industry will unite in order to assure high quality drymix mortars and their proper specification and application in the prospering market of Saudi Arabia. Ferdinand Leopolder, currently Technical Chairman of the Saudi Committee on the Standardisation of Drymix Mortars will also attend the ceremony. The new association will become a local Chapter of MEDMA. MEDMA encourages all drymix mortar manufacturers active in Saudi Arabia to join this important group. A membership with MEDMA is a mandatory condition (please enquire with us).

Attendance is free of charge for drymix mortar manufacturers (up to two delegates per company), but advance registration is absolutely mandatory. Industry observers pay SAR 1.110 | 250 €, reduced to SAR 890 | 200 € for MEDMA or drymix.info members.

4. MEDMA Workshop on EIFS in Dubai, 25. February 2015 for Consultants, Contractors and Developers

The Middle East Drymix Mortar Association MEDMA is inviting legislators, specifiers (consultants), developers and contractors to a very special event: The MEDMA Workshop on External Insulation and Finishing Systems (EIFS) takes place at Wacker Academy in Dubai on 25. February 2015. It updates the community about the results of the MEDMA Technical Committee on EIFS and showcases an actual EIFS installation with hands-on application demonstration. This meeting is intended to establish an EIFS system certification and approval in the United Arab Emirates. So far, MEDMA members Caparol, Gypsemna, Conmix and Wacker have decided to actively contribute to the programme of this important workshop and demonstration, thanks a lot (other members can enquire about the conditions with us).

Advance registration is absolutely mandatory. Attendance is free of charge legislators, developers, contractors and consultants (up to two delegates per company or institution), Industry observers pay AED 1.100 | 250 €, reduced to AED 870 | 200 € for MEDMA or drymix.info members.

5. Asia Industrial Drymix Mortar Summit in Mumbai, 24. March 2015: Preliminary Programme

The Asia Summit on the Industrial Manufacturing and Application of Drymix Mortars takes place at Taj Hotel Lands End, Mumbai, India on Tuesday, 24. March 2015 from 09:00 to 16:00. The Summit is uniting professionals active in the field of machinery, equipment and raw materials for the production of volume dymix mortars such as renders ("plasters"), (thick) screeds and masonry mortars (bricklaying mortar) with key executives of the drymix mortar industry in India and beyond.

The event is separated into three sessions:
a) Industrial Manufacturing of Aggregates and Mortars
b) Formulations and Practical Advice on the Mechanical Application of drymix mortars and
c) an actual practical demonstration of mortar mixing and pumping machines near the hotel.
Sponsoring of course is welcome, we are prepared to provide special areas on the outside for machine display and demonstrations (if you have special requests for heavy machinery or the need of outdoor space, please contact us immediately).

The Technical Chairman of The Aisa Summit is Dr. Sumon Chakravarty (formerly Ultratech Cement). Together with Ferdinand Leopolder of drymix.info he has recently agreed upon the following Preliminary Programme (subject to change without notice, Call for Papers ended 31.12.2014; sorted alphabetically by company names):
Baumann China, (lecturer tbd.):Automation of Mortar Application on the Jobsite
Denka, (lecturer tbd.): A Characteristic and Practicability of Special Cement Additives Using the CaO-Al2O3-SO3 System
Eirich, Volker Fitz: Mixing Technology for Factory-Produced Mortars
Frigmaires Engineers, Harish Advani: (working title) Machine Applied Mortars: the Decisive Advantage for Developers and Contractors Alike
Haver & Boecker, Engelbert Köß: Weather Tight Packaging for Complex Logistical
Lödige (Bectochem), Thomas Wegener: (working title) Mixing requirements for Building Materials
Mapei, Dr. Stefano Carrà: Tile Adhesives Formulation Robustness Issues
NFLG, Hank Chen: Development of Pre-mixed Mortar and Manufacturing in China
various contributors (outdoor presentation): Practical Demonstration of Mortar Machines

Online registration (recommended) is possible via our website, regular admission is 220 €, reduced to 190 € for drymix.info members and there is a specially reduced admission for drymix mortar manufacturers which is only 120 €.

6. Momentive Changes its Name to Hexion

Momentive Specialty Chemicals, Inc, Columbus, Ohio, USA has decided to re-name itself to Hexion, Inc., a name formerly carried for certain business activities (e.g. also for the former Rhone Poulenc dispersions and redispersible powder businesses). “We are pleased to leverage the rich legacy of the Hexion name...” said Craig Morrison, Chairman, President and CEO.

7. Holcim and Lafarge Expect Execution of Merger in early 2015

Lafarge SA, Paris, France and Holcim AG, Holderbank, Switzerland have recently obtained permission to merge operations from the European Commission. "We are very happy with the positive decision (...) with (which) we are well on our way to execute our merger within the first half of 2015" saidProf. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Reitzle, designated Speaker of the Board of Directors and Bruno Lafont, designated CEO of the future company. The merged company will have presences in 90 Nations all around the globe and combined sales of 32.000 mio Euro. Synergies of the merger are expected to exceed 1.700 mio Euro within the first three years and already 1/3 of this sum in the first year.

8. Ashland Cooperates with Dairen to Produce Redispersible Powders

Ashland Inc., Covington, KY, USA, has announced through its Ashland Specialty Ingredients commercial unit  that it has signed an agreement with Dairen Chemical Corporation, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (DCC) to produce redispersible powders (RDP, tradename Aquapas) effective 1. January 2015. The company had been producing redispersible powders since 2011 (we reported earlier). DCC is a Taiwan based producer of Vinyl Acetate Ethylene based redispersible powders since 1994. DCC is part of the the Chang Chun Petrochemical Group, Taiwan.


9. Sika Management Opposes Announced Takeover by Saint Gobain

The management of Sika AG, Baar, Switzerland has rejected Saint Gobain's bid to gain control by indirectly buying the shares of the Burkhard family (we reported earlier). According to company sources, both Board of Directors and management of Sika were not involved in the preparation of the planned transaction. They reject the proposal since "(the deal)... is lacking industrial logics and synergy potentials..." and destroys confidence of the shareholders in the company which will hamper the current expansion strategy. Apparently Saint Gobain does not intend to make a public offer to the majority shareholders but only acquire the capital of Burhard family (16 %, but with 52 % voting rights). Therefore, both Board and management of Sika are prepared to step down once the transaction is completed (closing). On the other hand, the heirs of the Burkhard family are pressing hard to realize the transaction and announced legal steps against the Board, which did not yet call for a General Assembly. The entire process is subject to the Swiss Anti-Trust office approval, which is yet to be obtained.

10. E·Mix Joins SEADMA as Member

E·Mix Industry (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. has decided to join The South East Asia Drymix Mortar Association SEADMA. The company, is part of NSL Ltd. (NSL was established in 1960 even before Singapore's independence in 1965!). E·Mix is one of the pioneers for modern drymix mortars in the ASEAN and East Asia region, already in 1984, the first production site was set up in Singapore. The company today operates  manufacturing facilities in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China. “E·Mix is glad to be part of the SEADMA community to contribute to the development of drymix mortars in Southeast Asia,” said Gordon Tan, General Manager of E·Mix Singapore.

We warmly welcome E.MIX to the SEADMA community.

11. drymix.info issues Calls for Papers for Abu Dhabi (May 2015), México (June 2015), Sao Paulo (November 2015) and Bangkok (19. November 2015)

drymix.info, The International Community for Drymix Mortars has recently issued Calls for Papers (CfPs) for three important industry events:
Third Advanced Building Materials Middle East Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 13. May 2015
(CfP expires 28. February 2015)
México Drymix Mortar Meeting, (location tbd., either Cancún or México City), 23. June 2015
(CfP expires 28. February 2015)
Fourth Latin American Drymix Mortar Conference and Industry Showcase ladmmc four in Sao Paulo, Brasil, 6. November 2015
(CfP expires 31. March 2015)
10th Anniversary SEADMA Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, 19. November 2015
(CfP expires 31. March 2015)

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 - 2015 by drymix. info, Ferdinand Leopolder, Tegernseer Landstrasse 26, D-81541 München.

Sincerely Yours, Ferdinand Leopolder