22 September 2016
Vietnam cement sales may reach 95Mt/yr by 2020 22 September 2016
Vietnam: Vietnam’s cement sales are predicted to reach 95Mt by 2020 says Nguyen Quang Cung, chairman of the Vietnam Cement Association (VNCA). The total will include 80Mt/yr of domestic sales and 15Mt/yr of clinker and cement exports, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
Vietnam’s domestic cement sales are predicted to rise by 5 - 5.5Mt/yr to hit 80Mt by 2020. The country’s cement and clinker exports will stay at 15Mt/yr, Cung added, noting that Vietnam will be able to satisfy the demand. He also predicted that the country’s cement sales will reach 77Mt in 2016, including of 60Mt of domestic sales and 15.5 – 17Mt of exports.
The Ministry of Construction previously forecast that Vietnam’s sales of cement and clinker would rise 4 - 7% year-on-year to 75 – 77Mt in 2016 despite on-going economic problems.
Hongshi-Shivam Cement building road to project site in Nepal 22 September 2016
Nepal: Hongshi-Shivam Cement is building a 36km road between Nawalparasi and Palpa to connect limestone reserves to a plant it is building. The China-Nepal joint venture is building a 6000t/day cement plant in Sardi, Nawalparasil that will be completed in 2017, according to the Kathmandu Post. The company plans to double the plant’s production capacity to 12,000t/day in the next four years. Limestone reserves at Palpa are expected to last 300 years.
Hongshi Cement has invested US$360m in the project which is the largest Chinese investment in the country’s cement industry. Investment Board Nepal (IBN) approved Hongshi's proposal in July 2015.
Hima Cement to build US$40m grinding plant in Uganda 22 September 2016
Uganda: Hima Cement plans to build a grinding plant at Nyakesi, Tororo district at a cost of US$40m to meet demand for local infrastructure projects and for regional markets. The plant will be built near to the plant of Hima’s competitor, Tororo Cement. It will add an additional 1Mt/yr of cement production capacity to the company.
"Hima Cement is committed to ensuring sufficient cement capacity to serve the national infrastructure and construction projects, individuals and the commercial sector. As a result, we are embarking on several capacity building projects, starting with the construction of a grinding plant at the end of 2016,” said Daniel Pettersson, the CEO of Hima Cement. He added that the company is also in the final stages of exploration for a limestone site in North East Uganda to support a future clinker plant.
In 2010, Hima Cement invested US$120m towards building a new production line at its plant in Kasese. This project increased the plant’s production capacity to 0.9Mt/yr. On completion, the Tororo expansion will further increase Hima Cement's capacity to around 1.9Mt/yr.
Raysut Cement completes gas pressure reduction unit at Salalah plant 22 September 2016
Oman: Raysut Cement has commissioned and completed a gas pressure reduction unit at its plant in Salalah. The upgrade will enable the plant to increase its production capacity to 140,000t/yr from 130,000t/yr. This is expected to increase the profitability of the company. The cost of the project was estimated at US$5.45m when it was first announced in December 2015.
Portland Cement Association and Mine Safety and Health Administration renew safety and health agreement 22 September 2016
US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) and the US Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has renewed for three years an on-going alliance aimed at fostering safer and more healthierl working conditions in the cement industry. Started in 2008, the agreement has enabled the PCA and the MSHA to share information, guidance and training resources to help protect the health and safety of all cement industry employees.
“Over the past seven years, this alliance has facilitated a productive collaboration between the cement industry and the regulatory agency, which has resulted in measurable safety and health benefits to cement industry employees,” said PCA President and CEO James G Toscas.