23 October 2020

India: Ambuja Cement’s profit in the first nine months of 2020 was US$176m, up by 21% year-on-year from US$146m in the first nine months of 2019. It revenues dropped by 7.8% to US$1.07bn from US$1.16bn, primarily due to the impacts of the Coronavirus outbreak. It said that this was likely to continue to affect results into the fourth quarter of 2020.

India: Dalmia Bharat plans to build an integrated cement plant in Kalaburgi, Karnataka. BusinessLine Online News has reported that the plant will cost around US$270m.

The company already operates the 2.5Mt/yr Belagavi plant in the state, which it commissioned in March 2015. Chief Minister Bookanakere Yediyurappa said, “Karnataka is proud to be home to Dalmia Bharat group and look forward to strengthening the relationship further.”

Saudi Arabia: Northern Region Cement has begun oil well cement production at its 2Mt/yr-capacity Arar integrated cement plant in Northern Borders Province. Mubasher News has reported that the company will begin sale of the cement in early 2021. The American Petroleum Institute (API) has certified the product.

Tunisia: Ciments de Bizerte dispatched its first batch of cement since 2008 from the Port of Bizerte on 19 October 2020. Agency Tunis Afrique Press has reported that the cement was sold on the Libyan market. The development follows Ciments de Bizerte’s investment in an upgrade of its quay at the Port of Bizerte.

Niger: President Issoufou Mahamadou has launched the construction of the upcoming 1Mt/yr Kao cement plant at a ceremony at the integrated plant’s site in Kao, Tahoua Region. Minister of Industry Adeniyi Adebayo said that the US$290m plant will generate 314 jobs, according to the Angola Press Agency. It is expected to be completed by early 2022. Kao Cement is 33% owned by private investors from Niger and Mauritania.