13 March 2017
Ethiopia and China sign cement industry agreement 13 March 2017
Ethiopia: Representatives of the Ethiopian and Chinese cement industries have signed a memorandum of understanding at the 2017 Ethio-China Cement Forum. Industry Minister Alemu Sime said that the forum was ‘vital’ to bring Chinese skills and experience into the local industry, according to the Ethiopian Herald newspaper. Representatives from the Chinese Cement Association, the Ethiopian Cement Association and local producers were in attendance.
Tanzania: The Ministry of Energy and Minerals has given Dangote Cement a 10km2 plot of land in Ngaka, Ruvuma to mine coal. The decision follows the acknowledgment by President John Magufuli that Tancoal, the local coal producer, is unable to meet domestic demand, according to the Citizen newspaper. At present manufacturers are unable to import coal from South Africa due to a government ban. In late 2016 Dangote Cement made a deal with the government to supply natural gas to its cement plant at Mtwara following a temporary shutdown at the site.
Flying Cement to double production capacity 13 March 2017
Pakistan: Flying Cement plans to double the production capacity of its Lilla cement plant in Mangowal, Punjab. It has struck an agreement with an undisclosed Chinese contractor to upgrade the plant’s clinker capacity to 4000t/day from 2000t/day. No value for the deal has been released. The plant has a cement production capacity of 0.63Mt/yr. It was originally supplied by Japan’s IHI.
Shiva Cement buys ACC’s stake in JSW Cement 13 March 2017
India: ACC has sold its 12.1% in Shiva Cement to JSW Cement for US$5.8m. Following the sale JSW Cement now holds the entire promoter holding in Shiva Cement, according to the Mint newspaper. In January 2017 JSW Cement announced that it was making an open offer to buy out Shiva Cement. Shiva Cement operates a 0.2Mt/yr cement plant in Rourkela, Odisha.