Belgium: The World Steel Association (WSA) forecasts that total global steel consumption in 2020 will be 1.65Bnt, down by 6.4% year-on-year from 1.77Bnt in 2019, due to the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak on steel-intensive industries. The WSA estimated that demand will decline by 17% in developed countries, with the steepest falls in Japan, South Korea and the US, and by 18% in India. China’s steel consumption is expected to rise by 1% due to increased infrastructure spending and a swift post-coronavirus recovery. Construction, a mostly seasonal sector, had already reached full productivity in April 2020.

The WSA expects steel demand to increase by 3.8% year-on-year in 2021 to 1.72Bnt globally. The sharpest recovery is expected to be in developing countries, where the WSA says that total demand will increase by 9.2%, following a fall of 11.6% in 2020.

Russia: Iskitimcement has announced the beginning of CEM-II ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) cement at its Iskitimcement plant in Novosibirsk Oblast. Regional Weekly News has reported that the cement will be used in road base concrete production and soil reinforcement. Iskitimcement says that the cement has high frost, abrasion and impact resistance and strength of over 5.5MPa. It will sell the cement, the seventh type produced at the plant, in 25kg, 50kg and 1t bags.

Spain: Sidenor has launched Termoslag, a software for the control of slag transit during liquid steel dumping. It aims to reduce steel’s slag content by 10%, thereby reducing raw materials and energy consumption in the steel production process and increasing slag output for circular economic uses such as cement production. Sidenor said, “We are committed to eco-innovation and the circular economy.”

US: The Slag Cement Association (SCA) has announced the recipients of its 2019 Slag Cement Project of the Year Awards. A total of 12 construction projects from across North America were chosen to showcase the broad applications of slag cement. Two research projects on slag cement use have also been recognised in the program. The winning project teams include four state Departments of Transportation (DOT), two Canadian procurement authorities, one bridge authority and the Florida Army National Guard.

“The rise in DOT and infrastructure projects we are seeing reflects the increase in demand for materials that enhance concrete’s durability, resiliency, and ultimately the value of concrete,” said SCA board president, Ed Griffith.

The event was originally scheduled to be held at the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Spring Convention in early April 2020 but was postponed due to coronavirus-related state lockdowns.

The winners included:

Project: Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport Aircraft Mooring Apron Replacement
Slag Cement: Argos
Award: Sustainability

Project: Chase Center
Slag Cement: Cemex
Award: Architectural

Project: Court and Walnut Parking Garage
Slag Cement: Skyway Cement
Award: Architectural

Project: Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Slag Cement: Lehigh Hanson
Award: Durability

Project: Dublin Ohio Pedestrian Bridge
Slag Cement: Skyway Cement
Award: Green Design

Project: Estates at Acqualina
Slag Cement: Cemex
Award: Durability

Project: Giant Mine Underground Stabilization
Slag Cement: LafargeHolcim
Award: Innovative Applications

Project: HWY 50 Paving Florida Hernando County
Slag Cement: Argos
Award: Sustainability

Project: I-41 Interchanges and Bridge
Slag Cement: St Marys Cement
Award: High Performance

Project: Peace Bridge
Slag Cement: St Marys Cement
Award: High Performance

Project: Sarah Mildred Long Bridge
Slag Cement: LafargeHolcim
Award: Innovative Applications

Project: Summa Hospital West Towers
Slag Cement: Lehigh Hanson
Award: Green Design

Project: Bio-friendly Slag Cement Benefit to the Drainage Systems
Researcher: Arash Rahmatian, University of Houston

Project: Blast Furnace Slags - Rapid Reactivity Testing and Effects of Varying Replacement Levels on Cement Paste Properties
Researcher: Sivakumar Ramanathan, University of Miami