Displaying items by tag: Bolivia

Bolivia: Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia’s (ECEBOL) integrated Oruro plant is operating at 80% capacity following its reopening in mid-June 2021. The unit is selling cement to La Paz, Oruro and Cochabamba, according to the La Razón newspaper. Restarting the plant cost around US$8m.

Bolivia: Fábrica Nacional de Cemento (FANCESA) has agreed to open up where it sells its cement. Previously the producer mostly sold its products through authorised vendors, according to the Correo del Sur newspaper. New vendors will be subject certain conditions under the new marketing policy, including making a request to the cement producer. However, the company has not decided whether it will change its prices. Shareholders of the company have requested a market study to assess the situation. FANCESA is expecting demand for cement to drop by up to a quarter in 2021.

Bolivia: Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia (ECEBOL) has officially restarted cement production at its integrated Oruro cement plant in Caracollo. The La Razón newspaper has reported the cost of the restart at US$8.41m. The producer received a cash injection from the government in order to enable it to restock cement bags, pay outstanding salaries and have working capital, according to Bolivian President Luis Arce. The head of state alleges that the previous administration ‘paralysed’ many of the country’s public companies through mismanagement.

Bolivia: Fábrica Nacional de Cemento (FANCESA) has increased the clinker capacity of its Cal Orcko cement plant to 2100t/day with the inauguration of a new clinker line. The La Razón newspaper has reported that the company launched the project in May 2018 at an investment cost of US$215m. The work employed 1390 people, and a further 4000 indirectly. The producer expects the expanded plant to reach full capacity by mid-2021.

Bolivia: Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia (ECEBOL) has signed a contract for the supply of 337,000m³/yr of natural gas to its Potosí cement plant. The La Razón newspaper has reported that the supplier will be Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB). The cement producer will use a 8km pipeline to connect to the network. The value of the deal is US$4.06m.

General manager Fátima Pacheco said that the pipeline will realise "the dream of the Potosí people of becoming a benchmark for cement and clinker production in the south of the country."

Bolivia: Fabrica Nacional de Cemento (FANCESA) has secured a contract for the supply of over 582,000t of cement to the Nueva Santa Cruz Ciudad Inteligente housing development near Santa Cruz. The Correo del Sur newspaper has reported that value of the contract as US$72.0m.

Bolivia/Paraguay: The Bolivian-Paraguayan Binational Chamber of Commerce & Industry is working with Bolivia-based Fábrica Nacional de Cemento (Fancesa) to export cement to Paraguay via the Parana – Paraguay Rivers Inland Waterway. The organisation is also trying to promote exports from the new Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia’s (ECEBOL) integrated cement plant at Caracollo in Oruro, according to the Agencia Boliviana de Información. Local Bolivian cement producers faced production stoppages from March to May 2020 due to coronavirus-related restrictions.

Bolivia: A court has annulled a decision ordering Mexico-based Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua (GCC) to pay damages to Compania de Inversiones Mercantiles (CIMSA) for its alleged unlawful failure to grant it a right of preference before selling its 47% stake in Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento (SOBOCE). Global Newswire has reported that the company has announced that it will now take action in the US courts against an unfavourable ruling in October 2020.

US: A US federal court has upheld the ruling of a Colorado district court that Mexico-based Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua (GCC) must pay around US$36m compensation to Compañía de Inversiones Mercantiles (CIMSA) for failing to grant it a right of preference prior to GCC’s sale of its 47% stake in Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento (SOBOCE).

Peru-based Consorcio Cementero del Sur obtained 100% ownership of Bolivia-based SOBOCE following its acquisition of GCC’s stake in 2011.

Bolivia: Fábrica Nacional de Cemento (Fancesa) has announced that no cuts will be made to transport spending until after the end of the coronavirus lockdown. Plans to reduce operating expenditure in this area have been opposed by the company’s drivers. Fancesa head of transportation Jhonny Palma said, “Both parties now have the time to analyse the proposals. In due course we will present our operating cost sheets and these will be put up for debate.”