The Future of Heavy Materials Resilience Is Not Just About Who Has the Biggest Kiln; It’s About Who Has the Most Insulated P&L. Run the 60-Minute Audit Before the Market Runs It for You.By Ryan Brown
Read MoreYear: 2026
Alternative Fuels in the Kiln: The Coating Challenge
Alternative Fuels Are Changing the Conditions Under Which Kiln Coating Forms, Stabilizes and Fails. The Chemistry Is Only Half the Story.By Jonathan Rowland
Read MoreSullivan Predicts IIJA Replacement Scenarios
Construction-materials Economist Ed Sullivan is looking at the wind-down of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and is pessimistic about what he sees. The IIJA expires Sept. 30, 2026. While the House Committee on Transportation reached agreement on a replacement of IIJA, it never reached the floor of the House for a full vote. The Senate has no companion…
Read MoreABB’s Expert Optimizer Fuels Cement Plant Efficiency Gains
ABB reports that Tokuyama’s Nanyo Plant, one of the largest plant’s in Japan, has reported a range of results from the proven use of ABB advanced process control (APC) technologies in its cement operations. ABB Ability Expert Optimizer has enabled the control, stabilization and optimization of processes, including an automatic operation rate exceeding 90% in its finish mills. Since initial…
Read MoreBaghouse Performance Optimization
Improvements in Filtration Serving Clinker Cooling Equipment Can Reduce Environmental Impact and Contribute to More Sustainable Cement Operations.By Keith Ogilvie and Michael Neate
Read MoreTailwinds to Tropical Winds
I won’t make apologies for my unusual fixation with the economic engine that is being propelled by artificial intelligence. Some of you may have heard me speak at industry conferences over the last year, where I have made around a dozen presentations to national and state associations.
Read MoreTariff Bingo
The United States announced a 50% tariff on Canadian cement, one of several products targeted for new tariffs. Taking effect on August 19, this measure allegedly stems from a trade dispute over cars, dairy and alcohol. Industry analysts expect this duty to increase regional construction and infrastructure costs.
Read MoreFlexicon Expands Product Line With Solid-Liquid Mixing and Blending System
Flexicon has launched the FlexEductor liquid mixing eductor system, expanding the company’s product line into solid-liquid mixing and blending, company President Dave Boger announced. “The addition of the FlexEductor is another important step in our commitment to delivering complete material handling systems,” Boger said. “It expands our portfolio with a highly effective mixing technology that outperforms many alternate methods. More…
Read MoreACA Asks Supreme Court to Review EPA’s PM 2.5 Rule
As part of a coalition of national trade associations spearheaded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Cement Association (ACA) has formally asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a D.C. Circuit decision upholding a Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5). “Keeping the PM 2.5 rule in place would be going…
Read MoreHeidelberg Materials Connects Policy to Practice with ACA
Heidelberg Materials North America recently welcomed a bipartisan group of Congressional chiefs of staff to its Granville Island ready-mixed concrete facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in partnership with the American Cement Association (ACA) and Center Forward. The visit provided an opportunity for participants to see firsthand how cement and concrete manufacturing supports the infrastructure, communities and economies that North…
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