26 August 2016
SCG launches Masonry Cement to Myanmar 26 August 2016
Myanmar: SCG has launched Masonry Cement, its first bespoke product for the Myanmar market. The brand of cement is targeted for applications in plastering and bricklaying, according to the Myanmar Business Today newspaper.
“This Masonry Cement is specialised for the Myanmar market. Based on customers’ choices, they can use this cement or our former cement products. This new product has strength in bonding cement. Some unqualified cements provide less bonding in plastering. This new product will reduce waste and expenditure,” said Attapong Sathitmanotham, SCG’s Myanmar Country Director.
ARM Cement seeks US$138m investment from CDC Group 26 August 2016
Kenya: ARM Cement intends to use US$138m investment from the UK government-owned fund CDC Group to finance the construction of a new cement plant in Kitui County. The cement producer is Chief executive Pradeep Paunrana said that more details on the proposed 2.5Mt/yr plant would be released after shareholders’ approval of the development finance institution’s proposed investment in return for a 40.66% stake in the cement manufacturer, according to the Daily Nation newspaper. The project is planned to be completed by 2021. Nigerian company Dangote Cement is also building a cement plant in the same area.
Zimbabwe: Chinese cement producer Mortal Investments Manufacturing Company is building a US$10m grinding plant in Redcliff, Midlands province with a production capacity of 1Mt/yr. It is the second cement project in the province following the Sino Zimbabwe Cement plant near Gweru, according to the Financial Gazette newspaper. 400 jobs will be created at the site. The plant is also expected to benefit from slag from the nearby Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO) steel plant at Kwekwe.
Philippines: Cement sales have risen by 10.7% year-on-year to 13.2Mt in the first half of 2016 due to increased government spending on infrastructure and improved private sector involvement in construction. Ernesto Ordoñez, president of the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines, also cited good weather as helping drive up sales, in comments made to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Private sector construction constitutes 76% of cement sales, while public construction projects use the remaining 24%.
Arghakhanchi Cement plant prepares for US$38.5m upgrade 26 August 2016
Nepal: Arghakhanchi Cement plans to spend US$38.5m to increase both its clinker and cement production capacities to 3000t/day by October 2017. At present the plant has a clinker capacity of 1200t/day and a cement capacity of 1000t/day, according to the Kathmandu Post. Managing director Rajesh Agrawal added that the company has signed a deal worth US$9.32m to order vertical roller mills from FLSmidth as part of the upgrade.
Local industrial groups Siddhartha, Murarka and Kedia hold stakes of 35%, 30% and 17.5% respectively in the cement producer. Uma Cement, an Indian company, owns the remaining 17.5% stake. Arghakhanchi Cement was originally known as Dynasty Cement.
China: Huaxin Cement’s sales revenue has fallen by 11% year-on-year to US$860m in the first half of 2016 from US$968m in the same period of 2015. Its net profit fell by 91% to US$1.21m from US$13.3m. The cement producer reported falling sales in most regions, with the exception of Tibet and Henan. Notable decreases in sales revenue occurred in Jiangsu, Jiangxi and Guangxi. The company blamed the result on falling prices caused by production overcapacity and ‘vicious’ market competition.
Outside of China the company has started operation at its 300t/day Gayur plant and it is building a 0.5Mt/yr grinding plant at Dangara in Tajikistan. Planning work has also been conducted at a 2800t/day cement plant at Narayani in Nepal and a 2500t/day cement plant at Aktobe in Kazakhstan.