Civil Engineering December 2021 | Vol 29 No 11

Civil Engineering December 2021 49 D NG Energy has received South Africa’s first ever consignment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Rotterdam, Netherlands at its plant in Germiston in a historic moment for South Africa’s energy market. The development is a precursor to the commissioning of DNG’s first floating storage unit delivery in the first quarter of 2022, setting the stage for a new era of growth, competition, and sustainability in the energy market. The arrival of this cost-effective alternative energy is the culmination of seven years of planning, permitting, and licencing efforts, which heralds the com- mencement of an investment programme of some R5 billion over the next few years to ensure bulk affordable and reliable LNG supply comes into South Africa. The company plans to accelerate groundbreaking pilot projects to test the feasibility of using LNG as an alternative to diesel, offering a proof of concept for a cleaner and more affordable option for transport, industrial, power generation and mining. Speaking at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the plant, DNG Energy Group CEO Aldworth Mbalati said: “It has taken us several years, big investments and prepa- rations of infrastructure rollout to get to this point. Now a new dawn has arrived for South Africa’s energy market. We are especially proud that it is a private, 100% black African-owned business that is enabling a future where energy is cleaner and more cost-effective than ever. “We’re focusing on transforming South Africa’s energy landscape through the advancement of LNG, which has a key role to play in increasing industrial output and power supply while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By driving competition in the energy market, our LNG offering has potential to boost local manufacturing and drive economic growth through the transfer of skills and creation of employment.” In addition to an abundant energy resource for generating electricity and providing fuel for industrial processes and heating, LNG can be used as a raw material to produce chemicals, fertiliser, and hydrogen. It can also be used in several residential, commercial, and transport applications.  S ika has signed a definitive agreement to acquire MBCC Group, the former BASF Construction Chemicals, from an affiliate of Lone Star Funds, a global private equity firm, for a considera- tion of CHF 5.5 billion (€5.2 billion). MBCC Group, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, is active in the field of construction systems and admixture systems. With approximately 7 500 employees MBCC Group has operations in over 60 countries and more than 130 production facilities. MBCC Group has a world-renowned product portfolio of global and local brands which enjoy a strong reputation for quality and reliability. With its broad and balanced product offering, MBCC Group partici- pates in all phases of the construction life cycle and is a key contributor to the decar- bonisation of the construction industry. “Two sustainability champions will join forces. Sika is first in class for sustainable solutions across the entire construction industry, and similarly, sustainability stands at the core of MBCC Group’s business. Together we will rein- force our complementary range of prod- ucts and services across the entire con- struction life cycle. With our combined portfolio, we will enable and accelerate the future of sustainable construction for the benefit of customers, employees, shareholders, and coming generations,” says Thomas Hasler, CEO of Sika. The transaction will accelerate Sika’s resilient Growth Strategy 2023 and beyond. Sika will expand its product and service offering in construction chemicals and industrial adhesives by adding the highly complementary portfolio of MBCC Group and is set to reach sales in excess of CHF 13 billion in 2023. The combined business will be a key accelerator in enabling both Sika’s and MBCC Group’s customers and the construction industry to drive sustain- able transformation further and faster. Customers will benefit from an enhanced and more efficient distribution network across all construction markets.  Big step forward for energy security in SA Sika to acquire MBCC Group DNG Energy’s LNG plant in Germiston The acquisition will see two sustain- ability champions join forces