24 May 2016
Lafarge Malaysia’s profit plunges 72% 24 May 2016
Malaysia: Lafarge Malaysia, part of LafargeHolcim, saw its net profit fall by nearly 72% to US$5m in the first quarter of 2016, from US$17.9m in the same period a year earlier. It reported lower contributions from its cement segment, following prolonged price competition. The one-off costs of integrating Holcim Malaysia within the company also affected earnings. Lafarge Malaysia’s quarterly revenue slipped by 3.8% to US$162m from US$168.8m in the first quarter of 2015.
LafargeHolcim opens new Barroso line in Brazil 24 May 2016
Brazil: LafargeHolcim will strengthen its cement production network in Latin America today, with the opening of a new cement line at its cement plant in Barroso, Brazil. The group says that the construction of the new line at the existing Barroso site is part of the group’s strategy to reduce the cost per tonne of its cement, while improving quality and efficiency, in order to operate profitably in a low investment environment.
The new line in Barroso, which LafargeHolcim claims to be the most modern in Brazil, will increase operational efficiency and cost competitiveness based on its state-of-the-art technology. Equipment includes the world's largest vertical cement mill from Gebr. Pfeiffer and an FCB Horomill for raw materials. The plant’s total capacity will rise to 3.6Mt/yr and the new line will allow the total cost per tonne of cement to fall by around 25% from 2014 to 2017.
Eric Olsen, CEO of LafargeHolcim, said, “The opening of Barroso is key to our strategy in Brazil and will allow us to further improve our cost structure while we continue to supply our customers with our high-quality solutions.”