26 July 2016
Vietnam: The Vietnam National Cement Association (VNCA) has proposed that the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, and Construction reduce import duties on aluminium cement to improve the competiveness of local refractory producers. At present the country charges a tax of 32 – 37% on imports of the input material used to manufacture refractory concrete and refractory bricks. However, imports of refractory bricks are only charged 6%, according to the Viet Nam News newspaper.
The VNCA suggested the government cut duties on aluminium cement imports to support local firms and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign partners, such as China. Vietnam imports refractory concrete and refractory bricks from China, India, South Korea and Germany.
Lafarge Africa to build power plant at Ashaka plant 26 July 2016
Nigeria: Lafarge Africa has signed a US$35m contract with Chinese company Rughn Power to build a 16MW captive power plant at its Ashaka cement plant in Gombe State. The lignite burning plant should provide a reliable energy source for the plant to increase its cement production capacity to 1Mt/yr.
US: Eagle Materials’ sales revenue from cement has risen by 19% year-on-year to US$116m in the first quarter of its 2017 financial year, which ended on 30 June 2016, from US$98m in the same period in 2015. Overall company revenue rose by 1.5% to US$298m from US$285m. Cement sales volumes rose by 4% to 1.25Mt from 1.20Mt.