Displaying items by tag: Export

Iran: Iran cement exports fell by 20% year-on-year to 18.5Mt in the financial year that ended on 20 March 2016 according to Abdolreza Sheikhan, secretary of Iran's Cement Industry Employers Association. In comments to the Islamic Republic News Agency Sheikhan blamed the fall in exports on security problems in the region including Iran’s main export market in Iraq. In the previous financial year Iraq represented 60% of Iran’s export market for cement.

Sheikhan noted that Iraq increased its tariffs on imports of cement to US$13/t from US$4/t in the previous year and raised tariffs to US$72/t in the latest financial year. He added that Azerbaijan had increased its cement production capacity that had also reduced its reliance on Iranian cement exports.

Pakistan: Cement sales are up in Pakistan, with All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association Chairman Muhammad Ali Tabba claiming that the sector is using 95% of its installed capacity. He said that strong export growth in March 2016 was ‘very encouraging’ and had been major factor behind the increased sales. Tabba highlighted new capacity being brought on by DG Khan, Lucky Cement, Cherat Cement and Attock Cement as indicative of the sector’s confidence in the Pakistani economy

Despite this, the sector remains accused of forming a cartel to keep cement prices high. Tabba rebuffed the claims, saying, “The industry is neither managing despatches nor the prices and is operating on the principles of free market economy.”

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has lifted a ban on exporting cement, the chief executive of Yanbu Cement has said to local press. Ahmed bin Abduh Zugail, who is also the deputy head of the Saudi national committee of cement companies, added that cement companies have welcomed the relaxation of the ban. However, full details of the new regulations are yet to be released by the Ministry of Commerce.

Local press reported in late November 2015 that government bodies were considering cutting the ban on cement exports. The ban was originally introduced in Saudi Arabia to keep prices down and production flowing for large infrastructure projects built using oil revenue.

Vietnam: Total clinker and cement sales rose by 9.8% year-on-year to 15.71Mt in the first quarter of 2016, the Building Material Department under the Ministry of Construction has said. The sales figure represents 20.7% of the country’s target for 2016.

In March 2016, the country’s cement sales rose by 17% year-on-year to 6.27Mt, supported by growing construction projects and the recovery of the real estate market. Clinker and cement exports grew by 115% year-on-year to 1.35Mt March 2015. Total export volumes for the first quarter of 2016 rose by 2% to 3.5Mt.

The Ministry of Construction forecasts that Vietnam's sales of cement and clinker will rise 4 - 7% on year to between 75 – 77 Mt in 2016 despite economic concerns. The country now has 76 cement production lines with a combined production capacity of 82Mt/yr.

Iran/Pakistan: An Iranian cement producer has revealed plans that Pakistan will help Iran export cement to East Asian countries. Morteza Lotfi, head of the Fars & Khuzestan Cement Company, has said that Iran will supply cement to Pakistan and in return Pakistan will export the same amount of cement to its neighbouring countries under Iran’s name, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) has reported.

Lotfi said that Pakistan has the infrastructure to export cement to its neighbours but it doesn’t produce enough cement to meet its domestic consumption. Therefore the two countries agreed on a cement swap. He added that Iran’s annual capacity for producing cement is about 80Mt/yr. Pakistan produces about 40Mt/yr. According to the agreement, Iran will also launch a clinker grinding unit in Pakistan.

Twenty-four countries, including Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Oman, India and China are among the main buyers of Iran’s cement. Tehran exported 19Mt of cement and clinker in 2014.

Pakistan: Data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) show that exports have been in decline since July 2015. Exports declined by 24% year-on-year to 3.4Mt in the seven month period between July 2015 and January 2016 compared to 4.5Mt in the same period in the previous year. However, domestic cement consumption has risen in the same period, according to local press.

"A substantial reduction in the exports has drastically affected foreign exchange earnings of the country and cement makers are finding it difficult to maintain their existence in export markets because of high costs of business in Pakistan and the absence of export incentives," said an APCMA spokesman.

Cement despatches between July 2015 and January 2016 increased by 6.4% year-on-year to about 21Mt compared to about 20Mt previously. Cement plants sales volumes in the north of the country grew by 14% year-on-year to 14.8Mt from 13Mt. These producers saw exports fall by 22.4% to 2.2Mt from 2.8Mt. Cement plant sales volumes in the south grew by 23% year-on-year to 3Mt from 2.5Mt. These producers saw exports fall by 29.2% to 29.2% from 1.8Mt.

The APCMA recommended that the government should impose an additional 20% duty for cement imports alongside the existing customs duty to protect the local cement industry. It added that taxes on energy inputs such as a gas and coal should be reduced and measures put in place to make exports more competitive.

Vietnam: Around 74 – 75Mt of cement is expected to be sold in 2016, some 3Mt more than that in 2015. In 2016, no new plants will be put into operation, as the capacity of current plants will meet demands.

According to Le Van Toi, Head of the Building Materials Department under the Ministry of Construction, total output of cement will rise in 2016, as a plant of the Cong Thanh Cement Group increased its capacity by 3.6Mt/yr in late 2015.

In 2015, two cement projects were put into operation, raising the number of production lines to 76 with a total designed capacity of 81.5Mt/yr. Over 72Mt of cement is estimated to have been sold in 2015, up by 3% compared to 2014. Some 16.3Mt was shipped abroad, down by 17.3% year-on-year, but domestic consumption rose by 11.1% to 56.5Mt.

Canada: Cement manufacturers produced 1.11Mt of cement products in November 2015, down by 12.2% compared to October 2015. Domestic cement shipments fell by 15% from October 2015 to 1.08Mt in November 2015. Including imports, shipments were down by 19.9% to 1.10Mt.

Tajikistan: Tajikistan has reportedly started to export cement to neighbouring Afghanistan.

According to the press centre of the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, 12 trucks carrying 370t of cement proceeded via the Panji Poyon border crossing on the Tajik-Afghan border in late December 2015.

Huaxin Gayur Cement Co., Ltd in Yovon, Khatlon reportedly signed an agreement with Afghanistan's construction company Shamal Sharq in early December 2015 to supply 500t of cement to Afghanistan.

Democratic Republic of Congo/Zambia: Lafarge Zambia and Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) have collaborated to increase cement exports to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

A policy directive is being followed by the government in order to increase exports and help stabilise the local currency. Lafarge will begin to export 400t/week of cement to the DRC in 2016 and will multiply its exports to Malawi and the DRC by a factor of four. Lafarge has become the biggest user of rail in the country and the first cement producer to be fully-associated.