23 September 2015
Holcim's Westport job cuts near as cement import facilities open sooner 23 September 2015
New Zealand: Holcim, part of LafargeHolcim, is making faster than expected progress on an operational restructure that will lead to 120 job losses on the west coast.
The New Zealand operation has revealed plans to close its manufacturing plant at Cape Foulwind, Westport, with cement instead to be imported from the Mitsubishi Kanda plant in Fukuoka, Japan, via the Timaru and Auckland ports. Holcim will now close its Westport cement plant in the middle of 2016, with 120 job losses expected. The company said that some employees have switched to other roles.
Holcim is building a 30,000t cement silo at Timaru Port and is spending a similar amount at the Port of Auckland. The company had previously said that the silo and importing facilities would be finished in the second half of 2016. However, Holcim New Zealand country manager Glenda Harvey said that the Timaru facility could be operational in January or February 2016 and that the Auckland facility should be completed in May 2016 rather than June 2016. The Westport cement plant will remain operational until the Auckland import site is fully commissioned, then it will be closed.
When the Timaru and Auckland terminals are completed, there will be about 30 staff employed in sales, operations and technical laboratory roles. Westport cement plant staff have been able to apply for positions at Holcim's Timaru and Auckland operations and also overseas, with a small number having taken up roles in other parts of the business. Workers have redundancy provisions in their contracts. The company has about 40 staff within its Christchurch head office operation and 360 in the country across the cement and aggregates businesses.
Some Westport residents have said that the Westport cement plant site and buildings could be used as an industrial park, for electricity generation or as an eco park. Harvey said there has been no update on the site, or if alternative uses could be found. The cement plant has been operating for 57 years.
Siam City Cement to take 40% of new joint venture company in Cambodia 23 September 2015
Cambodia: Siam City Cement's (SCCC) board of directors has approved a 40% share in a joint venture company in Cambodia, Chip Mong Cement Corporation, a first step in its strategy to take advantage of the upcoming Asean Economic Community.
The joint venture will involve the construction and operation of a 1.5Mt/yr capacity cement plant and related business, said Siva Mahasandana, acting SCCC deputy CEO and senior vice president for marketing and sales. He said the company had signed a definitive agreement with Chip Mong Group and three individuals, known collectively as CMG, to form the joint venture, which is expected to be in place by December 2015.
Mahasandana said that the joint venture company's registered capital would be US$150m, comprising 75,000 ordinary shares at a par value of US$2000/share. Once fully established, the new company will be renamed Chip Mong Insee Cement Corp.
Cambodia has been attracting investment with its government measures and low labour costs. Its economy has been growing measurably and the construction business is expected to grow in parallel, providing opportunities for SCCC's Insee brand. "We trust that this is an absolutely sustainable business venture in Cambodia and at the same time, we are exploring new investment opportunities in the Asean countries, especially in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam," he Mahasandana.
Cimentos de Mocambique installs kiln filters at Matola 23 September 2015
Mozambique: Cimentos de Mocambique, part of Intercement, has concluded the installation of kiln filters at its cement plant in Matola, Maputo. The company invested US$10m in the equipment to reduce air pollution levels in the area.