Displaying items by tag: Asia

Pakistan: Cement despatches rose by 13% year-on-year to 3.34Mt in April 2025, driven by an 8% increase in domestic sales to 2.52Mt and a 35% rise in exports to 0.83Mt from 0.61Mt, according to All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) data. Total despatches in the first ten months of the current financial year declined by 0.3% year-on-year to 37.3Mt. Domestic sales dropped by 6% to just under 30Mt, while exports rose by 29% to 7.36Mt.

Philippines: Cemex Holdings Philippines has officially completed its rebranding initiative, with the company now known as Concreat Holdings Philippines Inc. The rebranding, which was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission, was undertaken as part of the company’s evolution following the acquisition by the Consunji Group, led by diversified engineering conglomerate DMCI Holdings, in late 2024.

Concreat Holdings said the new name, which combines the words ‘Consunji’ and ‘create,’ reflects its renewed focus on integrity, reliability, resilience and nation-building. The company’s president and CEO Herbert Consunji said that the rebranding represents a bold new direction under DMCI’s management, guided by an all-Filipino team deeply rooted in local insight and long-term stewardship.

India: Nuvoco Vistas Corporation has reported that a decline in cement and ready-mix concrete sales caused an 85% year-on-year fall in its net consolidated profit for the 2025 financial year (FY2025), which ended on 31 March 2025.

Its net profit attributable to its owners fell from US$17.5m in FY2024 to just US$2.6m in FY2025. Its revenues from operations fell by 3.5% to US$1.23bn, while revenues from cement operations also fell by 3.5%, to US$1.12bn. Nuvoco Vistas sold 1.94Mt of cement during FY2025.

Nuvoco Vistas’s managing director, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, said "Despite a subdued demand environment in the first half of FY2025, the company witnessed a strong rebound in the second half. The company responded swiftly by capitalising on emerging opportunities to strengthen its market presence.”

Kyrgyzstan: A total of 0.58Mt of cement was produced during the first quarter of 2025. This was a rise of 51.6% year-on-year compared to 0.38Mt in the first quarter of 2024, according to the National Statistical Committee. It was also higher than the first quarter of 2023, when 0.45Mt of cement was produced.

However, construction companies and buyers of construction materials have recently encountered cement shortages in the capital city Bishkek. Local finance media source Tazabek reported that it has contacted several construction stores, wholesale and retail points of sale of cement, which confirmed shortages. Cement is expected to be back in stock within 10 days.

Pakistan: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a new valuation mechanism for collecting sales tax on cement, effective 1 May 2025. Under the revised approach, the FBR will use the average national retail price of cement as reported in the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics' (PBS) weekly Sensitive Price Index (SPI). Average prices will be calculated just before the 1st and 16th of each month, with the values used to calculate taxes for the approximately two-week periods that begin on the corresponding dates.

FBR officials said the decision aims to prevent under-invoicing practices within the cement sector by aligning the taxable value with officially reported retail prices.
By using PBS data as the benchmark, the FBR expects to streamline sales tax collection and reduce revenue leakage in the cement supply chain.

North Korea: The Kangso Cement Factory has reportedly increased the rate of extraction from its quarry following an earlier kiln capacity upgrade, according to the Korean Central News Agency, which speaks for the Workers’ Party of Korea and the country’s national government.

It says that officials and workers have fulfilled production plans by ‘ensuring proper cooperation between shifts and between production lines’ and operating equipment at full capacity. It said that the workers and technicians of the calcining work-team are improving the quality of products and that workers responsible for cement production are producing more cement than planned every day by ‘checking, repairing and maintaining equipment with foresight.’

China: According to China Cement Net, Chongqing Tongliang Southwest Cement has inaugurated a 7300t/day (2.25Mt/yr) clinker production line. The company previously operated a 2500t/day (0.75Mt/yr) and a 4800t/day (1.55Mt/yr) clinker line, which will be relocated.

Myanmar: Authorities are working to expedite the reopening of cement plants in Kyaukse, Mandalay Region, following the earthquake in late March 2025, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper. Kyaukse District administrator U Kaung Myat Naing said that one plant expects to resume supplying 100,000 bags of cement per day by mid-May 2025. The reopening of cement plants will help to meet the growing demand in the country.

India: UltraTech Cement reported consolidated net sales of US$2.67bn in the fourth quarter of the 2025 financial year, up from US$2.35bn year-on-year. Profit before interest, depreciation and tax rose to US$554m from US$498m, while profit after tax grew to US$291m from US$265m.

Consolidated sales volumes reached 41Mt for the quarter, growing by 17% year-to-year. Capacity utilisation was 89% during the quarter and 78% for the full year. UltraTech commissioned 17.4Mt/yr of capacity during the period, raising its domestic grey cement capacity to 183Mt/yr and its global capacity to 188.76Mt/yr.

The company achieved 1GW of renewable power installations, which it says makes it the first industrial company in India to commission 1GW of renewable capacity for captive use. It added 269MW of renewable power during the quarter, bringing its total renewable energy capacity to 1.363GW, including waste heat recovery systems. This covers 46% of Ultratech’s current power needs.

Malaysia: The state government of Sabah has dismissed concerns over illegal logging, investor withdrawal and environmental risks related to the US$277m Tongod cement plant project.

Masiung Banah of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly said "There is no logging taking place. The quarry spans 200 acres [80.9 hectares], not thousands as claimed. The project has undergone thorough environmental assessments, including an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), to ensure compliance with regulations."

Masiung, also chair of Borneo Cement, said that the project is proceeding as planned and that site clearing had already begun, following the approval of the EIA, according to the Daily Express newspaper. He added that the 5000t/day plant in Kampung Kayawoi will address Sabah’s cement shortage, reduce prices through local sourcing and create up to 1000 jobs for local people, as well as improving roads, electricity and water supply in the region. The Sabah Energy Commission has reportedly agreed to supply 40% of the plant’s required electricity and a 26km access road will be built to transport materials.