Greece: Titan Cement reported increased sales during the first nine months of 2023. They grew by 14% year-on-year to Euro1.89bn. Sales rose by 24% in Greece and Western Europe, by 16% in the US and by 13% in Southeast Europe. However, they fell by 5.9% in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Meanwhile, the company’s earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 72% to Euro397m. Group net profit more than doubled to Euro198m. Titan Cement maintained a level of capital expenditure in line with that in the first nine months of 2022, at Euro158m.

Titan Cement maintained its positive growth outlook for the full year in 2023, but expects to experience the effects of an anticipated ‘temporary cooling’ in global economic activity in 2024. The producer said that Euro8bn-worth of investments in on-going infrastructure projects in Greece will likely help to offset these effects locally.

Albania: The government will raise the tax on coal by a factor of five, to Euro0.15/kg. EmergingMarketWatch News has reported that the measure will bring Albania’s industrial products into line with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s recommended minimum emissions tax of Euro55.8/t CO2. Without this, exporters to the EU would have to settle the difference.

Tajikistan: President Emomali Rahmon has officially opened Tojikcement’s new plant in the Ismoili Somoni district of Dushanbe. The 1.2Mt/yr cement plant will replace the company’s existing production site in the city which is due to be closed. Products manufactured at the new unit will include cement of sulfate 500 and 400 brands. Construction work on the new plant started in 2019 and China-based Jiangsu Pengfei and Linsen was the main contractors.

South Africa: The Competition Tribunal has received a recommendation from the Competition Commission that it should allow aggregates producer Afrimat to acquire Lafarge South Africa. Creamer Engineering News has reported that the commission found that the merger involves ‘horizontal overlaps’ in the aggregates and ready-mix concrete sectors. As such, it recommended that the parties be required to divest assets across the affected sectors.

Tanzania: Mbeya Cement plans to reform its board of directors and appoint a new chair. The measures are part of an agreement between the government and other shareholders, including Zambia-based Lafarge Cement. Daily News has reported that the government helped Mbeya Cement to pay off US$67.9m-worth of debt.

Holcim’s East and South Africa area manager Rajesh Surana said “It is another milestone as we today sign the agreement on behalf of other shareholders, aimed at ensuring that Mbeya Cement operates on profit to rebuild growth for improved performance.”

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Cement’s sales rose by 9% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2023, to US$288m from US$264m. The producer’s net profit also rose, by 13% to US$73.9m from US$65.1m.

Saudi Arabia: During the third quarter of 2023, Southern Province Cement reported sales of US$76.2m. This represents an 11% drop year-on-year from US$86.1m during the same quarter in 2022. Reuters has reported that the company noted lower local demand for cement. Meanwhile, its net profit dropped by 41% to US$14.1m from US$23.7m, amid a year-on-year rise in operating expenses.

Saudi Arabia: Hail Cement recorded sales worth US$46.2m in the first nine months of 2023, down by 35% year-on-year from US$71.5m in the first nine months of 2022. Nonetheless, the producer’s net profit more than tripled to US$5.7m from US$1.57m. During the third quarter of the year, the company’s sales dropped by 50% year-on-year to US$13.7m, and it reported a loss, against a profit of US$1.59m in the third quarter of 2022.

UAE: Umm Al Qura Cement’s sales fell by 34% year-on-year during the first nine months of 2023, to US$31.6m. Meanwhile, the producer’s net profit dropped by 66%, to US$2.68m.

UAE: India-based UltraTech Cement has issued a US$73.5m corporate guarantee in favour of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. Reuters has reported that the guarantee covers credit facilities availed by the group’s subsidiary UltraTech Middle East Investments.