France: Vicat’s sales revenue from cement has fallen by 1.5% year-on-year to Euro761 in the first half of 2016 from Euro773m in the same period in 2015. The group has blamed the decline on a fall in selling prices in most of its market regions except for the US. It was also hit by negative currency effects in relation to the high value of Euro. Overall, Vicat’s sales fell by 0.4% to Euro1.24bn but its EBITDA rose by 2.3% to Euro208m.

Despite this, its cement sales volumes rose by 12.1% to 11.1Mt from 9.88Mt. Volume increases were noted in India, Turkey, Egypt, France, the US and, to a lesser extent, by Kazakhstan, Italy and West Africa. Switzerland was the only country to record a fall in sales volumes of cement the first six months of the year. Alongside this the construction materials company reported that its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 3.3% to Euro168m from Euro163m. It noted particular profit indicator gains in Egypt, due to sales volumes growth and lower energy costs following the commissioning of two coal mills in the second half of 2015 and increased prices and sales volumes of cement in the US.

“The Vicat Group delivered a good performance in the first six months of the year. The positive trends from the first quarter continued, with our business growing across most of our markets, with especially renewed growth momentum in France and in Egypt,” said Guy Sidos, the group’s chairman and CEO.