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drymix.info Newsletter 163/2015; ISSN Number 1613-0111; 18. March 2015

Opening remark by Ferdinand Leopolder
1. Asia Summit, Mumbai, 24.3.2015: Machine Application Demonstration Confirmed
2. Panel Members at idmmc five, 20.4.15: Rainer Ålgars and Mario Kristeller
3. SEADMA Open EC in Jakarta Indonesia, 6. May 2015, Indonesian DMMA
4. Saudi Drymix Mortar Manufacturers’ Industry Council: founded in February, next Meeting
5. Akzo Nobel Lays Cornerstone for New Specialty Chemicals Complex in Ningbo, China
6. Wacker: New Specialty Monomers Plant in Burghausen and VAE xpansion in Calvert City
7. Sika Takes over Mortar Manufacturer BMI in California, USA

Opening Remark by Ferdinand Leopolder
Dear Friends and Supporters, as you can see in this and the previous Newsletters, the successful strategies by both SEADMA and MEDMA yield an increasing amount of  National initiatives by the drymix mortar industry to form associations or councils (e.g. Philippines 2014, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia this year). Therefore, I had to totally restructure my personal travel plans and thus also re-align some events that we had already announced earlier. It just makes more sense to give each and any activity the attention it deserves in order to give you a satisfying experience both in terms of scientific lecturing and networking.

=> Third Advanced Building Materials Middle East Conference: the MEDMA Executive Committee has decided to move it to 14. October 2015, the event will take place at the Royal Méridien Hotel on the splendid Abu Dhabi Corniche.
=> México Drymix Mortar Meeting: our meeting in México (initially planned end-June 2015) is re-scheduled to take place in Mid-September, we will inform you further once we have found a suitable location.
=> Both Calls for Papers are already available and the submission deadlines have been extended to 30. April 2015 (please enquire with drymix.info).

Ferdinand Leopolder

1. Asia Summit, Mumbai, 24.3.2015: Machine Application Demonstration Confirmed

Recently, drymix.info received permission from Indian authorities to conduct outdoor machinery sessions at The Lalit Hotel in Mumbai. Thus, the Asia Summit will become an extraordinary event since it features the demonstration of mortar machinery as well as an actual render application by machine. The Asia Summit on the Industrial Manufacturing and Application of Drymix Mortars takes place at The Lalit Hotel in Mumbai, India (near the International Airport Terminal) on Tuesday, 24. March 2015 from 09:00 to 17:00 (check-in starts at 08:00, please be there on time!).

Online registration (recommended) is possible via our website, regular admission is INR 17.000 | 220 €, reduced to INR 15.000 | 190 € for drymix.info members and there is a specially reduced admission for drymix mortar manufacturers which is only INR 10.000 | 120 €.

2. Panel Members at idmmc five, 20.4.15: Rainer Ålgars and Mario Kristeller

The International Drymix Mortar Conference and Industry Showcase idmmc five takes place on 20. April 2015, from 09:00 to 17:30 at Kleine Meistersingerhalle, Nürnberg, Germany. There is a (recommendable!) Delegate welcome on 19. April 2015 at Barfüsser im Mautkeller (sponsored by Rotec, additional support is welcome!). The Drymix Mortar Yearbook 2015 will appear on occasion of idmmc five. Admission is 440 Euro per delegate, reduced to 380 Euro for drymix.info members. There is a specially reduced admission available for drymix mortar manufacturers, it is only 250 Euro (please note, that all these prices include 19% German VAT!). Registration is possible online (see www.drymix.info).

Prof. Dr. Johann Plank of Technical University Munich (Technical Chairman) and Ferdinand Leopolder (Moderator) are pleased to announce that Rainer Ålgars from Finland and Mario Kristeller from Brasil have accepted our invitation to join the Technical Panel of idmmc five and will moderate one session each. Rainer Algars has worked for Optiroc and subsequently for Maxit and Saint-Gobain Weber in various research oriented functions for more than 30 years and also acted in the EN Committees TC 303 and TC 193 for the standardisation of mortars. He has also been Vice President of EMO and Chairman of the EMO Technical Committee. Rainer Ålgars has worked for Optiroc and subsequently for Maxit and Saint Gobain Weber in various research oriented functions and also acted in several EN Committees for the standardisation of mortars. Mario Kristeller worked as Head of Technology Development for Quarzolit in Brasil (today Saint Gobain Weber Brasil) and is today a renowned inudstry expert for drymix mortars. He is also Technical Chairman of The Latin American Drymix Mortar Conference (this year in Sao Paulo, Brasil, 6.11.15).

3. SEADMA Open EC in Jakarta Indonesia, 6. May 2015, Indonesian DMMA

The South East Asia Drymix Mortar Association SEADMA invites the Indonesian drymix mortar industry to its Open Executive Committee meeting at Pullman Hotel Jakarta Central Park on Wednesday, 6. May 2015. After meeting internally in the early morning, the Executive Committee of SEADMA is hoping for vivid participation of the Indonesia Quality Drymix Mortar Manufacturers. Already confirmed is the participation of Mr. Ruslin Widjaja (of S 3 Technologies) who is heading an initiative to form The Indonesia Drymix Mortar Manufacturers Association. The SEADMA Executive Committee supports this plan and will assist the new intiative by inviting it as a chapter under its umbrella. The assembly will discuss further steps to assure the quality of drymix mortars in terms of specifications and standards in Indonesia which will be the focus activity of the new Association.

Seating is limited, advance registration is absolutely mandatory. Indonesian 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 IDR 1,8 mio | 120 €, Industry observers pay IDR 3,8 mio | 250 €, per person (reduced to IDR 3,0 mio | 200 €, for members of SEADMA or drymix.info). Please register by e-mail to info@drymix.info

4. Saudi Drymix Mortar Manufacturers’ Industry Council: founded in February, next Meeting

On 22.2.2015, the Middle East Drymix Mortar invited the Saudi Drymix Mortar Industry to a meeting to discuss the necessity to speak with one voice to legislators and large industrial corporations to the magnificent Rosewood Faisaliyah Hotel in Riyadh, KSA. In this meeting. There, it was decided to form The Saudi Drymix Mortar Manufacturers’ Industry Council (SDMMIC). SDMMIC is a manufacturer-focussed association, meaning that only mortar producers with active sales in KSA can obtain regular memberships. The new council will focus on measures to assure supply of high quality drymix mortars and their proper specification and application in the market of Saudi Arabia. SDMMIC will be part of MEDMA, and MEDMA will act also as administrative support for the council. It is intended that 2/3 of the membership fees collected in Saudi Arabia is being returned for projects and costs accumulated there. The exact mode of interaction will be discussed during the next meeting (see below). Naif al Rakheis, the first chairman of SDMMIC invites all quality manufacturers of drymix mortars to join the council, preferably before the next meeting which will take place in Riyadh on 18. May 2015.
MEDMA is very pleased and proud that there is such a tremendous support by the drymix mortar industry in Saudi Arabia and strongly believes that this industry council will help a lot to advance the current challenges for the industry e.g. the influencing of specifications (e.g. Aramco, Sabic and The Royal Commissions), the adaptation of standards (in cooperation with SASO) and the introduction of new regulations e.g. for ETICS/EIFS (with Saudi Electricity Company SECO).

The next meeting of SDMMIC will take place in Riyadh on 18. May 2015. 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 1.150 | 250 €, reduced to SAR 920 | 200 € for MEDMA or drymix.info members.

5. Akzo Nobel Lays Cornerstone for New Specialty Chemicals Complex in Ningbo, China

Akzo Nobel, headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands has recently laid the cornerstone for a new alkoxylation facility at its existing site in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. The integrated chemical complex covers 50 hectares and contains units for the production of e.g. chelates, ethylene amines, ethylene oxide, organic peroxides and cellulose derivatives. According to Akzo Nobel, the company has already invested over 400 mio Euro at its Nigbo site.

6. Wacker: New Specialty Monomers Plant in Burghausen and VAE xpansion in Calvert City

Wacker Chemie AG, Munich, Germany is in the process of building a new plant for specialty monomers at its Burghausen site. The new production facility will have an annual capacity of 3.800 tons, the investment is estimated to be 8 mio Euro. The plant will produce the specialty monomers vinyl neodecanoate and vinyl laurate which are key raw materials for the production of of specific redispersible powders. Start-up is expected in the second
quarter of 2015.

Wacker Polymers also announced an expansion of its existing vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions production facility in the United States. In Calverty City, Kentucky, a new reactor with an annual capacity of 85.000 tons will be added, an investment amounting to  around €50 million in the site’s capacity and infrastructure. VAE dispersions are needed in the paints and coatings, adhesives, construction, paper, carpet and nonwoven industries. The new reactor is scheduled to come on stream by mid-2015. Wacker has also added an ethylene pipeline connection to the Calvert City facility.

7. Sika Takes over Mortar Manufacturer BMI in California, USA

Sika AG of Baar, Switzerland is continuing its global acquisition strategy in the mortar industry by taking over BMI Products of Northern California Inc., headquartered in Milpitas (near San Francisco, CA, USA). BMI is a producers of drymix mortars and systems such as cementitious renders, interior (gypsum based) plasters, tiling products, masonry mortars, the company also delivers mortars in mobile silos. According to company sources, Sika produces drymix mortars at 76 locations worldwide. Over the past two years, Sika has increasingly invested into drymix mortar. Thus mortar showed the strongest growth compared to the other Sika activities in 2014 (plus 31 %).

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.

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Sincerely Yours, Ferdinand Leopolder