Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement’s net sales rose by 4.6% year-on-year to US$2.24bn in the financial year that ended on 31 March 2018 from US$2.14bn in the same period of the previous year. It attributed the increase to higher sales volumes of cement. However, its operating income fell by 15.6% to US$92m from US$113 due to higher coal prices. The company said that overall local demand in the country rose by 0.2% to 42Mt during the reporting period. Exports rose by 2.4% to 11.8Mt.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement’s sales rose by to 9.1% year-on-year to US$7.98bn in the financial year that ended on 31 March 2018 from US$7.30bn in the same period of the previous year. Its domestic sales volumes increased by 2.4% to 14.7Mt and its export sales fell by 2.7% to 2.3Mt.

Italy: Buzzi Unicem’s sales fell by 8.4% year-on-year to Euro539m in the first quarter of 2018 from Euro589m in the same period in 2017. Its cement sales fell by 1.6% to 5.1Mt from 5.2Mt. It blamed poor weather and reduced working days in the reporting period. Sales volumes in Eastern Europe performed well due to favourable trends in the Czech Republic and Russia. Sales in Italy improved due to the consolidation of Cementizillo into the group.

Italy: Cementir’s sales and earnings have fallen following the divestment of its local business. Its sales dropped by 1.6% year-on-year to Euro242m in the first quarter of 2018 from Euro246 in the same period of 2017 when adjusted for the divestment. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 12.4% to Euro241m from Euro27.5m. Cement sales volumes increased by 4.1% to 2.08Mt from 2Mt.

“The exit of Cementir Italia group from the perimeter of consolidation and the improvement in Turkey and China offset the deterioration of results in Egypt caused by the curfew introduced in February 2018, the effects of harsh weather conditions in Scandinavian countries, and the fewer number of working days due to the early Easter holidays, which resulted in lower earnings in Norway and, to a lesser extent, in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Malaysia,” said the company in a results statement.

The group’s board of directors has also approved a business plan for 2018 to 2020 to recognise changes in its portfolio. In 2020 the group forecasts that the Nordic and Baltic countries and the US will generate about 72% of the group's revenue, while the Eastern Mediterranean area, including Turkey and Egypt, will generate 20% and the Asia Pacific area, including China and Malaysia, will account for around 6%.

Pakistan: The Peshawar High Court has stopped construction of a cement plant by Fecto Cement at Palai in Malakand. Opponents of the project cited environmental and health concerns, according to the News International newspaper. Fecto Cement announced plans for its new 6000t/day plant in February 2018.

France: Jacob Waerness, the former security chief at Lafarge Syria, has been arrested in Paris. He was taken into custody in early May 2018 while transferring between planes at the Charles de Gaulle airport, according to Le Monde newspaper. He was arrested on charges of financing terrorism. Waerness worked as the head of security for Lafarge in Syria from 2011 to 2013. He published a book about his experiences in 2016.

Vietnam: A joint venture between Vinaconex Engineering Construction and Investment and Lilama will supply equipment for the Tan Thang cement plant in Nghe An province. The contract is worth US$66m, according to the Viet Nam News newspaper. The new plant will have a cement production capacity of 2Mt/yr. Vinaconex and Lilama will join European companies Bedeschi and FLSmidth on the project.

Kyrgyzstan: Data from the National Statistics Committee data shows that local cement producers manufactured 1.5Mt of cement in 2017. Previously, the country produceds 1.3Mt in 2016 and 1.5Mt in 2015, according to the Central Asian News Service. The top three cement companies in terms of tax payments were South-Kyrgyz Cement, Kant Cement and the Southern Combine of Building Materials.

Angola: Fabrica de Cimento do Kwanza Sul (FCKS) has started selling its Yetu cement product in Luau, Moxico province. 400t of the product has been transported via the Benguela railway as part of a sales expansion drive, according to the Angola Press Agency. Huambo and Bié will be targeted next.

FCKS plant shut down in November 2017 and reopened in April 2018. The unit is planning to increase its production capacity to 10,000t/day from 5000t/day in the next stage of its improvement scheme.

Qatar: Alkhalij Cement, a subsidiary of Qatari Investors Group, has reached three years or 3.5 million hours without accidents, at its plant in Umm Bab. The company said that achievement showed that its employees had followed safety rules with dedication and reliability, according to the Qatar Tribune newspaper. Alkhalij Cement operates an integrated plant with a clinker production capacity of 6000t/day.