Bhutan: Dungsam Cement has reduced its loss in 2018 by increasing its production volumes. It reported a loss of US$0.43m in 2018 from US$10.3m in 2017, according to the Bhutan Broadcasting Service. Its cement production volume more than tripled to 0.63Mt in 2018 from 0.2Mt in 2014.

The plant at Nganglam has commissioned in 2014 and it has reportedly been making a loss since then due to a loan. The cement producer has suffered from a low production capacity utilisation rate, as the plant has a production capacity of 1.3Mt/yr and it has had problems exporting cement to India. However, sales to hydroelectric projects in the country have been increasing.

Senegal: Falling export sales have reduced cement production. Exports dropped by 28% year-on-year to 0.14Mt in March 2019 from 0.2Mt in March 2018, according to the Agence de Presse Africaine. Cement production fell by 10% year-on-year to 0.59Mt in the first quarter of 2019 from 0.66Mt in the same period in 2018. Local sales remained stable in March 2019.

Philippines: Republic Cement has lunched its first Fast Laboratory On Wheels (FLOW), a mobile laboratory dedicated to providing technical support to construction and building industry players. The mini-truck, which has a pull-canopy converted into a laboratory, carries equipment and apparatus that can perform tests on concrete, aggregates and cement.

“The growing demand for quality construction solution is a primary motivation for Republic Cement’s move to establish its first mobile laboratory,” said Republic Cement president and chief executive officer (CEO) Nabil Francis. FLOW is intended to support the country’s rapid infrastructure development, under the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program.

The mobile laboratory can be transformed into a demonstration area where technical training may be conducted. It can also be despatched quickly to a specific site to provide analysis within hours. FLOW will be deployed in the greater Metro Manila area and regions in Luzon such as Calabarzon and Central Luzon from June 2019.

Sweden: Cementa has started using a gas-powered truck for bulk cement deliveries. The Volvo FH460 LNG will use the Skövde cement plant as its main base and delvier cement to customers in the west of the country. Typically gas-powered vehicles in Sweden use a mixture of 50% biogas and 50% natural gas, although this may change is greater amounts of biogas become available. The truck is owned and operated by Tommy Bremans Åkeri in Skövde, a supplier to XR Logistik.

Greece: Titan Group’s turnover has benefited from the US market and growth in southeastern Europe. Its turnover grew by 12.5% year-on-year to Euro363m in the first quarter of 2019 from Euro323m in the same period in 2018. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 1.9% to Euro44.3m from Euro43.5m. It blamed its limited earnings growth on ‘challenging’ conditions in Turkey and Egypt.

Algeria: Algematco Steel, part of Rahmoune Group, has ordered a modular Ready2Grind MVR vertical roller mill from Germany’s Gebr. Pfeiffer. Erection and commissioning of the unit are scheduled for early 2020. No value for the order has been disclosed.

The cement grinding plant includes: a feed module with material dosing and transport; a MVR 2500 C-4 type vertical roller mill with a SLS 2650 BC ctype lassifier and drives; plant filter, fan and hot gas generator; electric switchgear with plant control system; silo plant; packing and palletising plants; and laboratory equipment. The plant is designed to produce different cement types at a production rate of 50 - 70t/hr.

US: Sesco Cement plans to build a new white cement terminal at Gibsonton in Florida. The unit will have a ship and railway links, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal newspaper. The project will have an investment of US$19m. Construction is expected to take 18 months at the site. Based in Texas the company has links to the Royal El Minya white cement plant in Egypt via Sesco Group.

Belarus/Moldova/Russia/Ukraine: The Ukrainian interdepartmental commission for international trade has imposed antidumping tariffs on imported clinker and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) from Russia, Belarus and Moldova. It has set duties of 115% for goods originating in Russia, 57% for goods from Belarus and 94% for goods from Moldova, according to Interfax. The tariffs will have a duration of five years. Previously the government had embargoed OPC, alumina, slag, sulphate-resistant cement and similar hydraulic cements, including clinkers, from Russia.

Philippines: Data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shows that imports of cement rose by 64% year-on-year to 1.74Mt in the first quarter of 2019 despite the introduction of a 4% tariff in January 2019. Imports were 1.06Mt in the same period in 2018, according to the Philippines News Agency. The production capacity utilisation factor of local producers is also reported to have fallen. The DTI says it will continue to monitor the situation.

Kenya: ARM Cement has signed a deal to sell its business in Kenya to the National Cement Company for US$50m. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals, according to the Business Standard newspaper. ARM Cement also has operations in Tanzania, Rwanda and some interests, in the form of unexploited mineral deposits, in South Africa.

“This transaction is in line with National Cement’s growth strategy in Kenya to position itself as the leading cement manufacturer in the region. The industry is poised for growth and we are excited about the prospects for this next chapter of our business. We will endeavor to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders including the employees, customers, and suppliers in the overall interest of Kenya,” said Narendra Raval, chairman of National Cement.

The cement producer was placed under administration in August 2018. In late 2018 Oman’s Raysut Cement said it planned to buy ARM Cement as part of its expansion plans. Nigeria’s Dangote Cement was also linked to a potential purchase of the company.