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There was a great quote on BBC News from Nigerian cement mogul Aliko Dangote to start 2014 with: "Can you imagine, can you believe, that [Nigeria] has been growing at 7%/yr with no power, with zero power? It's a joke."

In the article Dangote is describing economic growth in Nigeria and the BBC points out that 170 million people in Nigeria use the same amount of power as 1.5 million people do in the UK. The author then goes on to predict that Nigeria could grow at a rate of 10 – 12%, by just solving power infrastructure in the country.

For the start of 2014 the British state broadcaster has been running a radio series on the so-called MINT economies. The term refers to the growing economies of Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey and is being used as a new buzzword in the same fashion as BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) to describe broadly similar growing economies outside the traditional western bloc dominated by the G7.

Comparing the cement industries in the MINT countries raises some discrepancies between the desires of Western economists and the local cement industries. Mexico has a population of 118m, a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$1.85tr and a cement production capacity of 50Mt/yr. Indonesia has a population of 238m, a GDP of US$1.29tr and a cement production capacity of 47Mt/yr. Nigeria has a population of 175m, a GDP of US$479bn and a cement production capacity of 28Mt/yr. Turkey has a population of 74m, a GDP of US$1.17tr and a cement production capacity of 82Mt/yr.

Mexico and Turkey have the lower populations in the MINT group, the highest (and most similar) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita at US$15,000 and are the more developed cement industries in the group with the higher cement production capacities per capita. All of the MINT countries have infrastructural issues that will require large amounts of cement in the coming years.

Highlighting Dangote's concerns we cover a cement industry news story this week from Nepal, where Dangote is considering potential locations for a cement plant. Part of the publicly reported meeting between Dangote and the Nepalese government concerned power requirements for the project. Dangote intends to generate 30MW itself and has asked Nepal to provide 30MW. From the CEO downwards the cement producer clearly understands the problems of underdeveloped infrastructure. This is not surprising given his comments above!

That MINT economies are growing powers will not surprise the cement industry. In this week's Global Cement Weekly, in addition to the Dangote story, we feature two news stories focusing on direct industry capital investment in Indonesia. Looking more widely nearly half the stories are from BRIC or MINT countries.

With this in mind Global Cement has developed its own buzzword for the cement industry in 2014: the VISA group. This group includes Vietnam, Italy, Spain and Australia, countries that have all had problems with their cement industries in 2013 such as a production overcapacity or financial losses. If readers have any nicknames of their own for groups of cement producing nations let us know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

US: ANH Refractories Company has named Stephen M Delo as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Gabriel Faimann, the company's former Interim CEO, who has left to pursue other career opportunities.

Delo most recently served as Director of Integrated Supply Chain for Honeywell International's Performance, Materials and Technologies business and has held senior leadership roles of increasing responsibility during his 34 year tenure with Honeywell. He began his career with Honeywell (formerly Allied Chemical) after receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State University, where he also later earned his Masters' degree in Business Administration.

"I am excited to be named Chief Executive Officer for ANH," said Delo. "I look forward to the opportunity to transform ANH's operations and drive long-term growth and sustainability. I am excited to be working with ANH employees to build upon our company's reputation and develop innovative ways to successfully meet the needs of our customers, as well as expand our markets served and products offered."

Pakistan: Maple Leaf Cement has appointed Tariq Saeed Saigol as the chairman of the company from 1 January 2014 for a three year term.

Saigol studied Law at University Law College, Lahore. He started his career in 1968 at Kohinoor's Chemical Complex at Kala Shah Kaku and became the chief executive of Kohinoor Textile Mills, Rawalpindi in 1976. Since 1984, he has been chairman of Kohinoor Maple Leaf Group, which has interests in textiles, energy and cement production.

He has also been chairman of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association in 1992 - 1994, president of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry for 1995 - 1997 and chairman of the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association from 2003 - 2006.

Ukraine: On 1 January 2014 Volyn Cement (part of Dyckerhoff Ukraine) relieved two members of the supervisory board, chairman of the supervisory board Otto Lose and supervisory board member Volker Sonnabend. The posts remain vacant.

Volyn Cement suffered a loss of Euro2.69m in 2012 according to the International Financial Reporting Standards. Its net revenues increased by 1.85% year-on-year to Euro59.2m in 2011.

US: Cemtrex has announced that it is experiencing an increased level of inquiries relating to its emission monitors from cement companies. Although the technology company has not reported how much its enquiries have risen by, it stands to benefit from the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the Cement Manufacturing Industry that have a compliance deadline date of 9 September 2015.

In a press release Cemtrex detailed monitoring instruments that it sells to measure mercury, hydrogen chloride, particulate matter and total hydrocarbons (THC) that are discharged from cement kiln stacks. Cemtrex estimates that each system will cost approximately US$0.50m and there are about 156 kilns that will be affected by this EPA MACT Rule in the US.

Indonesia: PT Semen Baturaja plans to build a new 2Mt/yr cement plant. CEO Pamudji Rahardjo announced the project while detailing a 40% increase in the Indonesian cement producers' plant investment fund to US$240m from US$205m, according to Investor Daily.

India: Zuari Cement plans to expand its cement production capacity with a 3Mt/yr cement in Gulberga. The Italcementi subsidiary has invested US$400m towards capacity development in spite of what it called 'tough' market conditions. Other projects include setting up a grinding plant in Solapur and a terminal at Kochi.

Kenya: The East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) has adjusted its previous financial reports following the discovery of a theft of cement worth US$2m. The fraud led to the under-declaration of its overdraft by US$1.4m for cement lost in 2012, with the firm also overstating its sales and VAT payments by the same amount.

"The company lost cement worth US$1.4m and US$0.66m during the years ending 30 June 2012 and 30 June 2013 respectively through fraud, which was discovered in 2013," the EAPCC said in its latest annual report.

"The financial statements have been restated to correct these misstatements."

The Treasury and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), which have a combined stake of 52% in the EAPCC, have questioned the accuracy of the EAPCC's accounts, which are examined by the National Audit Office and its agent Ernst & Young. The EAPCC management has disputed this claim.

In 2013, EAPCC suspended seven of its employees who were charged with allegedly stealing cement worth US$2m.

Indonesia: FLSmidth has received an order worth Euro40m from PT Semen Padang for a cement production line with a capacity of 8000t/day. The plant is located in Indarung, just outside the city of Padang in West Sumatra.

The order includes equipment for the main part of the production line, including a raw mill, coal mill, preheater, kiln, burner, clinker cooler and silo equipment as well as a complete control system for the entire plant. This new line will be the sixth line at the plant site. Four of the other five lines at the plant were supplied by FLSmidth.

PT Semen Padang is part of Semen Indonesia Group, Indonesia's largest cement producer with a total cement production output of 30Mt.

UAE: Cement producers in United Arab Emirates (UAE) have defended their right to export to Oman amidst calls for curbs on imports. Raysut Cement, Oman's largest cement producer, has asked the Government of Oman to implement a ceiling on UAE imports, according to local media. However, UAE producers deny that they are flooding the Oman market.

"There's a shortage and we are covering that shortage," said Suliman Ali Abdullah Al Shehi, a sales manager at Gulf Cement. Raysut Cement has said that the market only needs 1Mt/yr of cement but that UAE producers are exporting 2.5Mt/yr. However UAE producer Fujairah Cement has estimated demand at nearly 3Mt/yr.

Raysut Cement has requested the government in Oman to cap UAE cement imports and to limit the load on each lorry crossing the border from the UAE. The UAE produces over 24Mt/yr according to the Ministry of Economy. Nearly 60% of the total cement production is exported to neighbouring countries in the region.