Displaying items by tag: Import
Saudi Cement increases holding in United Cement Company
18 August 2021Bahrain: Saudi Arabia-based Saudi Cement has increased its share in its Bahraini subsidiary United Cement Company (UCC) by 37% to 100%. The purchase of additional shares cost it around US$7.5m in May 2021. UCC is an importer and distributor of bulk cement. It operates a marine terminal and was founded in 1999.
Uzbekistan: Cement production grew by 23% year-on-year to 5.8Mt in the first half of 2021. Data from the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan shows that production increased fastest in the second quarter. It was previously reported that the country imported 1Mt of cement in the first four months of the year. 48% came from Kazakhstan, 27% from the Kyrgyzstan, 23% from Tajikistan and 1% from both Iran and Turkmenistan.
Ghanaian cement producers warn of mounting clinker costs
03 August 2021Ghana: George Dawson-Amoah, the executive secretary of the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers Ghana, has warned that mounting clinker costs are negatively affecting the cement industry. He said that the cost of clinker grew by 55% in the first half of 2021 and it is expected to nearly double, according to GhanaWeb. Cement prices have risen subsequently. Dawson-Amoah added that congestion at local ports is also adding to clinker import costs as importers potentially face demurrage fines.
Philippines: The Cement Importers Association of the Philippines (CIAP) has filed a petition before the court of tax appeals requesting that the government refunds their past cement safeguard duty payments. The Manila Bulletin newspaper has reported that CIAP members say that the duty is unlawful as imports pose no threat to the domestic cement industry. The total sum for which importers are seeking reimbursement is US$25.4m.
The three-year imposition of duties by the government’s Department of Trade and Industry ends in 2022.
Kazakhstan ends cement import ban
26 July 2021Kazakhstan: The Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development has lifted a ban on imports of Portland cement, alumina cement, hydraulic cement and clinker into the country. A three-month ban on such imports began in late April 2021, according to the Trend News Agency. Imported cement must conform to new quality standards introduced by the ministry’s Technical Regulation and Metrology Committee in July 2021.
Peru: Cement production in the 12 months ending on 30 June 2021 was 12.2Mt, up by 43% year-on-year from 8.54Mt in the previous 12 months. Data from the Association of Cement Producers (ASOCEM) shows that local dispatches totalled 11.9Mt, up by 42% from 8.41Mt.
Cement exports recorded a drop, down by 7% to 0.16Mt from 0.17Mt, while clinker exports rose by 44% to 0.52Mt from 0.36Mt. High demand led to an increase in imports to 0.94Mt of cement, up by 59% from 0.59Mt, and 1.41Mt of clinker, almost triple the previous year’s volume of 0.48Mt.
Georgia: HeidelbergCement Georgia plans to invest in additional grinding capacity at both of its cement plants. The subsidiary of Germany-based HeidelbergCement says that it will complete expansion work at both plants by the 2022 production season. It is also contemplating the possibility of clinker capacity expansions.
In early July 2021, Georgia experienced a cement shortage due to the release of pent-up demand from infrastructure projects and reduced imports from Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Philippine Department of Trade and Industry launches new investigation into cement imports
09 July 2021Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched a new investigation into imports of cement, currently subject to safeguarding tariffs of US$0.20/bag. The investigation follows a request by Cemex Philippines, Holcim Philippines and Republic Cement. The Viet Nam News newspaper has reported that the Vietnam National Cement Association has asked the DTI and the Philippine cement industry to consider whether imports from Vietnam did real damage. In 2020, Vietnam’s export cement prices fell by 15% year-on-year. Its excess production of cement was 36Mt during the year, and its clinker prices were 20% below the regional average.
Georgia: Georgian Cement Company (GCC) has warned of cement dumping by Iran and Turkey. The subsidiary of LafargeHolcim is lobbying the government for protective legislation, according to Prime News. GCC operates a 0.3Mt/yr cement grinding plant at Poti. The country consumes 2.5Mt/yr and 1.5Mt/yr of this comprises imports. HeidelbergCement and Eurocement also operate plants locally.
Jordan: The country’s industrial chambers have made a statement saying that most cement plants are charging ‘average’ prices for cement despite recent rises in energy costs due to imported coal and diesel. In a joint statement the group’s said, that although some plants have increased the price of cement, it does not reflect the increase in real cost to producers, according to the Jordan News Agency. The price of cement has reportedly risen by 12% recently.
The industrial chambers noted that the sector is, “keen to stabilise commodity prices locally and maintain their sustainability." It added that it accomplished this in the interests of citizens during the Covid-19 crisis despite the high price of raw materials. The statement also noted that the country has a cement production capacity of 10Mt/yr but the local market only uses 3Mt/yr.