Displaying items by tag: exports
Vietnam’s cement and clinker sales drop by 6% in 2023
02 January 2024Vietnam: Vietnam sold 89Mt of cement and clinker in 2023, down by 6% year-on-year from 2022 levels. Việt Nam News has reported that exports fell less sharply than domestic sales. The country exported 32.6Mt of cement and clinker, down by 2% year-on-year from 2022.
The Ministry of Construction is reportedly contemplating extending a 2% reduction in the rate of value-added tax (VAT) on cement in order to stimulate sales. Additionally, it has called for a reduction in the export tax on clinker back down to 5%, following a rise to 10% in 2023.
Vietnam raises 10-month exports to Australia
28 November 2023Vietnam/Australia: Vietnam exported 412,000t of cement to Australia during the first 10 months of 2023. Việt Nam News has reported that this is more than double the 10-month 2022 figure of 157,000t. The total value of the shipments also more than doubled year-on-year, to US$20.5m from US$8.37m.
South Korea/Egypt: The South Korean government’s 72% ‘anti-dumping duty’ on imports of white cement from Egypt entered force on 17 November 2023. Yonhap English News has reported that the measure will remain in force for four months, until 17 March 2023.
Egypt exported 9240t of white cement to South Korea in 2022, up by a factor of nine from 2021 levels.
Egyptian white cement attracts new South Korean anti-dumping duties
21 September 2023South Korea/Egypt: The South Korean government plans to implement a 72% import duty on white cement from Egypt. Yonhap News has reported that the Korea Trade Commission (KTC) recommended the duty as an anti-dumping measure, following its investigation into the impacts of Egyptian imports on the South Korean white cement industry. This consists of Union Corporation’s 200,000t/yr Chongju white cement plant in North Chungcheong.
South Korea consumed 100,000t of white cement in 2022. Egyptian white cement commanded a 10% (10,000t) market share. The domestic cement industry complained to the KTC against Royal El Minya Cement and Albatros International Cement Trading in March 2023. An additional probe will now follow to assess the correct rate for the duty.
Caribbean Cement to raise exports
19 September 2023Jamaica: Caribbean Cement plans to increase its exports of its cement. The Gleaner newspaper has reported that the company announced its successful despatch of a 3400t shipment of cement to Turks and Caicos on 16 September 2023. The shipment consisted of 2267 jumbo bags of its higher early strength cement.
Managing director Yago Castro reassured Jamaicans that Caribbean Cement would continue to prioritise the domestic market. He continued “However, there is a market out there for us. We will actively look for opportunities to reallocate the spare capacity to the export market."
Uzbekistan: Anhui Conch Cement inaugurated its new 2.3Mt/yr Tashkent cement plant at Kiziloy on 21 August 2023. The plant cost US$320m and will produce 30% of its cement for export. UzReport News has reported that the plant will directly employ 300 people.
Tajikistan exports 538,000t of cement in first half of 2023
10 August 2023Tajikistan: Cement producers exported 538,000t of cement during the first half of 2023, down by 20% year-on-year from 676,000t during the first quarter of 2022. Uzbekistan received 342,000t (64%) of Tajikistan's cement exports, while Afghanistan received 194,000t (36%). The Tajik government banned cement exports for five days in July 2023, due to a domestic cement shortage that affected important infrastructure projects. Asia-PLUS News has reported that the government now expects producers to export 1.5Mt of cement throughout 2023. The Tajikistan cement industry is expected to produce 4.5Mt of cement in 2023, corresponding to a capacity utilisation of 80% across its 5.6Mt/yr installed capacity.
Italy: Cementir Holding, a subsidiary of Caltagirone Group, recorded Euro841m in sales in the first half of 2023. This corresponds to year-on-year growth of 1.1% from Euro832m in the first half of 2022. The producer's earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 40% to Euro201m from Euro144m. Likewise, its net profit rose by 36% to Euro90.3m from Euro66.6m
Cementir Holding said that its cement sales volumes fell by 5.5% year-on-year during the half, to 5.1Mt. Volumes growth of 16% in China and Türkiye, and of 8% in Egypt, failed to offset a drop in Belgium, Denmark, Malaysia and the US. In Türkiye, the group increased its focus on the domestic market, and halved its export volumes. Exports also dropped in Malaysia, by 12%, as well as in Denmark.
Chair and chief executive officer Francesco Caltagirone said “The first half of 2023 closed with encouraging results, with significant increase in EBITDA, earnings before interest and taxation and net profit, thanks to careful management of profitability, which offset the general reduction in sales volumes."
Spain: The Spanish cement association, Oficemen, recorded total national cement consumption of 7.54Mt throughout the first half of 2023. This corresponds to a 0.3% year-on-year rise from first-half 2022 levels. Meanwhile, first-half exports fell by 2.3% year-on-year to 2.84Mt.
The Cinco Días newspaper has reported that Oficemen general director Aniceto Zaragoza said “The first half of 2023 has closed with zero growth, in line with our forecasts at the beginning of the year. The confluence of three elections, which will end with the general elections on 23 July 2023, is an unusual circumstance, which has affected not only investments in public works but also at the business level." Zaragoza added that construction decision-making had 'already slowed down by itself due to the current international situation.'
Indonesia: The Indonesian cement industry produced 29.3Mt of cement during the first half of 2023. This corresponds to a utilisation rate of 51% across an installed national capacity of 116Mt/yr. Throughout 2022, the industry produced 64Mt of cement and recorded a utilisation rate of 55%. Local capacity utilisation levels in the first half of 2023 were as low as 45% in some regions. Only Bali-Nusa Tenggara Region and Maluku-Papua Region did not suffer from overcapacity. National demand was 28Mt in the first half of 2023 and 63Mt throughout 2022. Meanwhile, first-half exports rose by 12% year-on-year in opening six months of 2023.
Indonesia Government News has reported that the Ministry of Industry has instigated a moratorium on investments in the construction of new cement capacity. Director general Ignatius Warsito said "These efforts can provide legal certainty for cement industry players in the country, as well as support competitiveness." Warsito noted the health of Indonesia's existing export markets for cement, but noted the uncertainty of the industry's coal supply and its price. Coal currently accounts for 40% of Indonesian cement's fuel consumption by value.