Displaying items by tag: GCW397

Pakistan: The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) has reported that cement exports during first eight months of the current Pakistani fiscal year, from 1 July 2018, saw growth of 52.3% year-on-year compared to the same period of the prior fiscal year. Exports were 4.65Mt compared to 3.05Mt.

In February 2019 exports were up by 69.1% year-on-year at 0.51Mt. The southern part of the country, particularly the Sindh region, fared considerably better than the national picture, as cement exports from the region increased by 185% to 0.35Mt in February 2019. Local consumption in the region was also higher, albeit less dramatically, with sales of 0.67Mt as compared to 0.61Mt a year earlier. However, plants in the north continued to suffer, with exports falling by 16% to 1.86Mt over the eight-month period from 2.21Mt a year earlier. In February 2019 exports from the north declined by 8.7% to 0.17Mt

Among other factors, the export of cement to India has been suspended due to a 200% increase in the import duty, as the Indian government had announced to de-list Pakistan from the status of ‘Most-Favoured Nation.’ The APCMA also said that rain in almost all parts of Pakistan had also affected construction activities.

Pakistan: Flying Cement has ordered a 71-6 OK model cement mill from Denmark’s FLSmidth for its new 7700t/day production line at its Mangwal plant. The mill will be designed to grind Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) at a capacity of 415t/hr. Commissioning is expected in 2020, and the mill will be supplied together with an FLSmidth ILC Preheater System, 2-Base Kiln, Cross-Bar Cooler, ROKSH 119 Separator, MAAG WPV-5000 Gear, Heat Exchanger and three filters. No price for the order has been disclosed.

UAE: RAK Cement has postponed its acquisition of Newtech cement and the Al banna quarry due to incomplete financing. It previously announced the purchase in late February 2019. It planned to buy the assets for around US$123m.

Sri Lanka: Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has inaugurated the construction of a cement factory at the Port of Hambantota. He also marked the start of the construction of an oil refinery, according to the Daily News newspaper. An unnamed Chinese cement producer was linked to the project, with production scheduled to start in mid-2020.

Morocco: LafargeHolcim Morocco’s turnover fell by 2% year-on-year to Euro725m in 2018 from Euro743m in 2017. Its consolidated net profit dropped by 18% to Euro156m from Euro177m. The subsidiary of LafargeHolcim said that its sales had fallen less than the 5% that the local cement market suffered. It blamed a drop in operating income on lower revenue and rising petcoke costs. The cement producer said it was ‘confident’ about the fundamentals of the building materials sector. It plans to commission a new cement plant in the Souss region in 2020.

China: Anhui Conch’s revenue grew by 70.5% year-on-year to US$19.1bn in 2018 from US$11.2bn in 2017. Its sales volumes of cement rose by 25% to 368Mt. Its net profit increased by 88% to US$4.44bn from US$2.36bn. The cement producer attributed this to ‘significant’ growth in its prices.

During the reporting year the group commissioned four cement grinding units for its Yueqing Conch Cement and Jiande Conch subsidiaries. It also acquired Guangdong Qingyuan Cement, increasing its production capacity of clinker and cement by 2.7Mt and 4Mt respectively.

Outside of China, the group completed and commissioned two clinker production lines and four cement grinding units at Battambang Conch Cement in Cambodia and PT Conch North Sulawesi Cement in Indonesia. Its Luangprabang Conch Cement project in Laos has moved to the equipment installation phase and construction of Myanmar Conch Cement (Mandalay) in Myanmar has begun. Preliminary work has also started for the Vientiane Conch Cement project in Laos and the Qarshi Conch Cement project in Uzbekistan.

At the end of 2018 the group has a clinker and cement production capacities of 252Mt/yr and 353Mt/yr respectively.

China: China Shanshui Cement’s revenue grew by 19% year-on-year to US$2.63bn in 2018 from US$2.2bn in 2017. Its profit from operations nearly doubled to US$563m from US$295m. It reported growth in most of its operating regions, with the exception of Xinjiang Region, where revenue fell slightly to US$71.1m. It attributed its overall sales revenue growth to raised prices.

Mexico: Cemex says it has made ‘significant’ progress towards its US$1.5 – 2bn asset disposal target by the end of 2020. Since the target was announced in mid-2018 the group has announced the divestment of assets in northern Europe, a terminal in Manaus in Brazil, aggregates and ready-mix concrete (RMX) assets in Germany, its white cement business including the Buñol cement plant in Spain and other assets. These sales will generate around US$750m or half of its lower target.

“We remain completely committed towards the goal of achieving an investment grade capital structure and will continue our disciplined deleveraging and improvement of our capital structure,” said Fernando A Gonzalez, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Cemex.

Chile: Cementos Bío Bío has changed its name to Cbb as as part of a rebranding exercise to target the group for the digital age and to target growth outside of Chile. Chief executive officer (CEO) Enrique Elsaca said that the change is part of the company’s Transforma 2021 plan, including investment of US$150m in Chile, Argentina and Peru, according to the El Mercurio newspaper.

It is about to inaugurate a cement grinding plant at Arica in Chile, it plans to build a US$20m plant at Arequipa in Peru for commissionoing in early 2020 and it plans to upgrade its San Juan lime plant in Argentina. It also hopes to build a new lime plant in northern Argentina to supply the lithium business.

Bolivia: Weimar Pereira, vice-minister for Medium and Large Scale Industrial Production, says that the government is close to signing new rules for cement industries that will prioritise domestic products over imported asphalt on roads and for public works. He made the statement in talks with local producers Fábrica Nacional de Cemento (FANCESA) and Cooperativa Boliviana de Cemento, Industrias y Servicios (COBOCE) as well as union representatives, according to the Correo del Sur newspaper. The new rules are expected to be implemented by August 2019.