Egypt: Germany-based HeidelbergCement subsidiary Suez Cement’s losses fell by 11% year-on-year to US$75.0m in 2019 from US$84.1m in 2018. Mubasher News has reported that sales also fell, by 13% to US$41m from US$0.47bn.

Suez Cement is seeking buyers for its 51% stake in Kuwait-based Hilal Cement.

Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan imported 3.27Mt of cement in 2019, down by 6.8% year-on-year from 3.51Mt in 2018. The value of cement imported fell by 13% to US$154m from US$176m. Trend newspaper has reported that cement imports from Kazakhstan fell by 32% to 0.97Mt from 1.43Mt. Imports from Tajikistan and Turkmenistan also fell, but rose by 85% from Iran, to 0.59Mt from 0.32Mt.

Uzbekistan, which has a 12.9Mt/yr installed cement production capacity, removed its zero rate of customs duty on cement in October 2019 in order to help align domestic demand with production.

US: Mexico-based Cemex has confirmed that its 75% subsidiary Kosmos Cement, which it holds jointly with a subsidiary of Italy-based Buzzi Unicem, has completed the sale of its 1.7Mt/yr integrated Louisville plant to Eagle Materials for US$665m. Cemex says that it will receive US$499m in proceeds from the sale.

North Korea: The Pyongyang Times newspaper has reported that the state-owned integrated Komusan Cement Factory in Komusan, North Hamgyong province, has successfully trialled cement production at a new dry line. The line will reportedly use lignite as fuel.

Nigeria: Dangote Cement has shared plans for the installation of a fifth production line at its 13.3Mt/yr integrated Obajana plant in Obajana, Kogi State, that will raise the plant’s capacity to 16.Mt/yr. Business Day newspaper has reported that the upgrade will be a jointly private and public project aimed at ‘boosting the economy and creating jobs for the unemployed youth,’ with tax reliefs and other incentives available to investors. Dangote Cement executive director Edwin Devakumar said during a visit of the Nigerian Minister of State for Mining and Steel Development Samson Ogar that the company ‘will leverage on the state’s support.’

Ukraine: Italy-based Buzzi Unicem subsidiary Dyckerhoff Cement Ukraine has reported a profit of Euro29.2m in 2019, up by 362% from Euro5.67m in 2018. Ukrainian News has reported that the company increased its assets and decreased its accounts receivable and long-term liabilities during the year.

El Salvador: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim subsidiary Holcim El Salvador has announced a planned investment of US$7.5m to establish six concrete plants in 2020, which will bring its total to 18 plants. Esmerk Latin American News has reported that the investment also covers ‘new trucks and other machinery.’ Holcim El Salvador also announced its intention ‘in the long term’ to resume operations at its 1.6Mt/yr Maya cement plant, mothballed in 2008, at an estimated cost of US$20m. It is currently investigating the possibility of installing a US$5m solar power plant at its 1.7Mt/yr El Ronco cement plant.

In 2019 Holcim El Salvador produced 1.2Mt of cement and 710,000m³ of concrete.

Germany: Hazemag has announced that Hazemag Systems will now market the entire product portfolio of Hazemag raw materials processing and mining equipment division Hazemag & EPR. The group says its ‘sales and process know-how’ will now be bundled at a single Düsseldorf location. Hazemag & EPR employs 400 people in serving industries including cement in 40 countries with plants and equipment for raw materials processing.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Cement has posted a profit of US$120m in 2019, up by 13% year-on-year from US$108m in 2018. Mubasher has reported that increased sales offset higher costs, with notable growth in the fourth quarter of 2019 of 15% year-on-year, to US$38.3m from US$33.3m in the last three months of 2018.

Vietnam: Producers exported approximately 2.82Mt of cement in January and February 2020, down by 49% year-on-year from 5.75Mt in the corresponding period of 2019. Vietnam News has reported that this is a result of the coronavirus outbreak. In February 2020 Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction said that Vietnamese cement exporters would face fierce competition as China and Thailand increase exports over the coming year.

Vietnam Cement Association president Nguyễn Quang Cung previously predicted that Vietnamese cement exports would hold steady at 34.0Mt in 2020 before falling by 26% to 25.0Mt in 2021 as a forecasted rise in domestic demand reduces the reliance on low-priced exports. China remains the primary importer of Vietnamese cement, which it buys at US$36.3/t. Domestic demand fell by 37% year-on-year to 2.88Mt in January 2020 from 5.43Mt in January 2019, according to Arab News.

Production rose by 0.1% year-on-year to 13.0Mt in January and February 2020 from 12.9Mt one year previously.