
Displaying items by tag: GCW86
Cement industry safety in India
06 February 2013A stark reminder came this week of the thankfully rare but potential risks of working in the cement industry. Five deaths were reported at Ambuja Cement's Bhatapara cement plant in India on 31 January 2013.
According to a press release Ambuja issued, the steel construction supporting a fly ash hopper located on top of a building, and connected to the cement mill, collapsed at the Bhatapara plant. Further details in local press reports added that about 200t of fly ash fell from a height of 15m. Five labourers and plant employees working at the site were buried under the debris and subsequently died. Four officials from the company have since been arrested and the plant closed while investigations are conducted.
Previously in January 2013 burn injuries were reported as another Ambuja cement plant, this time at Darlaghat. Eight workers received burns after a blast from a boiler unit.
However, despite these incidents the safety figures for Ambuja Cement and the other major Indian producers are high. In Ambuja Cement's 2011 sustainability report it recorded that its lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) was 1.04 for total employees and supervised workers. Its LTIFR has been dropping steadily since 2008, when it was 3.18.
This compares to other major Indian cement producers as follows. UltraTech Cement reported that its LTIFR for permanent employees was 0.82 in 2011-2012, a consistent drop year by year since 2008-2009. ACC reported that its LTIFR for its own and subcontracted employees was 0.31 in 2011. Shree Cement reported a LTIFR of 0.91 in 2010-2011 for employees and contractors. For international comparison the Mineral Products Association set a LTIFR target of 1.79 or lower for 2014 in the UK. Lafarge's global LTIFR in 2011 was 0.63 and Holcim's was 1.6.
An Ambuja's plant in Rajasthan picked up two national awards from the Government of India for Safety Performance in mid 2012. One was for first place for outstanding performance in Industrial Safety based on 'Lowest Average Frequent Rate'. The second was a runners-up prize for the category 'Accident Free Year'. Lafarge India, UltraTech, ACC and the other major producers all hold similar accolades. Sadly, any safety record is only as good as the shift that has just finished.
Amr Reda appointed Lafarge Pakistan CEO
06 February 2013Pakistan: Lafarge Pakistan has announced the appointment of Amr Reda as the new Country CEO. Prior to joining Lafarge Pakistan he was the Regional Business Controller Lafarge Middle East and Pakistan and has served as member Board of Directors' Lafarge Pakistan since January 2007.
"We are fortunate to have Amr as the new CEO and I have full faith that he will take the company to the new heights of professionalism. We will together work for the benefit of all stakeholders of the Company," said outgoing Lafarge Pakistan CEO Major General Rehmat Khan. Khan will take a new role as Chairman Board of Directors of Lafarge Pakistan.
Arabian Cement CEO resigns
06 February 2013Saudi Arabia: Arabian Cement has said its chief executive, Ali Al Khuraimi, has resigned for personal reasons. A new CEO will be appointed as soon as possible, the cement maker said in a statement posted on 2 February 2013 on the Saudi bourse website.
Italcementi revenue falls by 3.8% to Euro4.48bn in 2012
06 February 2013Italy: Italcementi has reported that its revenue fell by 3.8% to Euro4.48bn in 2012 from Euro4.68bn in 2011. It blamed the fall on the continued effects of the economic crisis on demand for construction materials in Western Europe.
Sales volumes of cement and clinker principally fell in the group's Central & Western Europe region, by 16.1% to 16Mt in 2012. Volumes also fell by 4.5% to 14.9Mt in the group's Emerging Europe, North Africa and Middle East region. North America grew by 0.3% to 4.2Mt and Asia grew by 8% to 10.1Mt. Notably sales volumes increased across all regions in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Revenue by business line for cement and clinker fell by 3% to Euro2.90bn in 2012 from Euro2.99bn in 2011. Revenue by geographical area for the group's two declining regions represented 76% of the group's total of Euro4.48m in 2012.
In its press release the Italian based multinational cement producer added that it reduced its net financial debt by approximately Euro100m in 2012 to Euro1.99bn, helped by cash flow improvements and an investment policy focused on industrial and environmental efficiency. It added the during 2012 the group introduced measures to rationalise its production network. These include the '2015 Project' for the Italian market, announced in December 2012, which will have a positive annual effect of approximately Euro40m when fully implemented.
Ciments Français revenue down by 2.5% to Euro3.73bn in 2012
06 February 2013France: Ciments Français has reported that its revenue has fallen by 2.5% to Euro3.73bn in 2012 from Euro3.82bn. It has attributed the decline to the impact of the economic crisis on construction material demand, particularly in industrialised countries.
In its press release with the results Ciments Français commented that its sales increased in most emerging countries, especially those in Asia. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the trend improved significantly in the cement and clinker sector with stable sales, following decreases over the first three quarters.
By volume the group sold 39.3Mt of cement and clinker in 2012, a decrease of 2.7%. By region sales volumes fell by 8.8% to 9.3Mt in 2012 in the group's Western Europe region. Sales also fell in the group's Emerging Europe, North Africa and Middle East region, by 4.5% to 14.9Mt. Volumes remained steady in North America at 4.2Mt and increased in Asia by 8.8% to 10.1Mt. Notably, the group preformed significantly better in the fourth quarter of 2012 for volumes sold of cement and clinker with all regions doing better compared to the same quarter of 2011.
By revenue the group's cement and clinker business fell by 1% to Euro2.51bn in 2012 from Euro2.54bn in 2011. The cement and clinker business comprised 67% of the group's total revenue in 2012. Geographically, the group's Western Europe region comprised 43% of the group's revenue, the single largest area in terms of location.
Vicat sales stand still in 2012
06 February 2013France: Vicat Group has reported Euro1.16bn in consolidated sales for its cement division in 2012, a slight rise of 1.6% from Euro1.14bn in 2011. The French multinational cement producer commented that it had benefited from growth in emerging markets and a recovery in Turkey and the United States. Overall, sales rose by 1.2% to Euro2.29bn from Euro2.27bn.
Sales in the US rose by 18.7% to Euro196m from Euro165m. This was mirrored by the cement division, which had sales of Euro91.2m in 2012. Prices remained on average lower than in 2011. In Turkey, India and Kazakhstan sales rose by 27% to Euro442m from Euro348m. Cement sales for this division were Euro376.6m, led by continued growth of 10.9% in Turkey and with new plants coming on line at Bharathi Cement in India and Jambyl Cement in Kazakhstan.
In less well performing regions, Vicat noted that cement sales fell in France by 11.6% to Euro392m in 2012. It blamed the decline on a fall of 13% in volumes due to adverse weather, completion of major projects and a more 'challenging' industry environment. However it did record a slight increase in selling prices in 2012. In Africa and the Middle East sales fell by 11.3% to Euro364m from Euro411m. Cement sales were Euro342m. Major sales decline was noted in Egypt, where sales fell by 27% in 2012 due to volume contraction. Operations were effected by a fuel shortage until October 2012 and the poor security situation. Political unrest in Mali caused problems for the Group's West African results.
Sales in Europe outside of France rose by 2% to Euro411m from Euro403m. Cement sales were Euro175.6m for this region. Notably cement sales in Switzerland rose by 5% over the year and close to 18% year-on-year in the fourth quarter. Overall the group's business contracted by 15% in Italy in 2012.
For its outlook Vicat expects to benefit gradually from investments made over the since 2007 as global economic conditions recover.
Cementir increases revenues by 4.6% to Euro976m in 2012
06 February 2013Italy: Italian cement maker Cementir Holding increased its revenue by 4.6% to Euro976m in 2012. Cementir's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 11.1% to Euro138m. However, sales volumes of grey and white cement fell by 6% to 9.85Mt in 2012 from 10.47Mt in 2011.
In its financial statement Cementir attributed its positive performance to the good development in prices across all of the company's geographic areas, although at a much slower pace of growth in the Scandinavian countries and in Turkey. Volumes of cement and clinker fell in 2012 due to the slowdown in the Italian and Egyptian markets and, to a lesser extent, the decline in exports from Turkey. This was partly offset by the positive performance posted in the Far East, thanks in part to the new capacity of a Chinese plant, now in its second full year of operation
For 2013 Cementir expects its financial performance to improve and its debt to diminish. A positive trend of white cement sales in China and positive performance in Egypt and Malaysia are expected to offset the expected contraction in Italy. In Turkey, growth should be modest as a result of the contraction in the residential construction market, although investment in infrastructure should remain high. The 2013 revenues are expected to beat Euro1bn and the EBITDA to exceed Euro150m. Cementir also launched a project to improve the profitability of its operations in various countries, which is expected to save Euro30m as of 2014.
Dyckerhoff Group sales hold steady at Euro1.6bn in 2012
06 February 2013Germany: The Dyckerhoff Group has reported that its sales in 2012 met its 'expectations'. Preliminary sales were Euro1.6bn in 2012, the same as in 2011.
Cement and concrete volumes decreased by a total of 2% and 7%, respectively. Cement prices were higher than the previous year in Germany, Ukraine, Russia, and the USA, fairly stable in the Czech Republic and on a downward trend in Luxembourg and Poland. The sales proportion generated outside of Germany, 63%, exceeded the 2011 by 1%.
"As expected, Dyckerhoff Group's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the fiscal year 2012 will be at a similar level as in the previous year. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) as well as results before and after taxes will be below the previous year's level. Here, an impairment of around Euro26m against the carrying amount of fixed assets already acquired for the planned plant in Akbulak in Russia has an effect," said Wolfgang Bauer, CEO of Dyckerhoff.
Bauer added that the result after income taxes was affected by a write-down of deferred tax assets of around Euro13m.
CNBM reports revenue up by 14% to US$35.5bn in 2012
06 February 2013China: China National Building Material Group (CNBM) has reported that its operations revenue in 2012 grew by 14% year-on-year to US$35.5bn. The Chinese state-owned building materials manufacturer saw its profit reach US$1.81bn, while its net profit for the year hit US$1.38bn. As the end of 2012, CMBM had US$46bn in total assets, 38% more than at the end of 2011.
China cement news in brief
06 February 2013Production in 2012: China built 124 new dry-process cement production lines and added 160Mt of cement clinker production capacity in 2012, according to the China Cement association. China had 1637 dry-process cement production lines with a production capacity of 1.6Bnt/yr of clinker by the end of 2012.
Sichuan Province in south-western China has seen its cement output climb by 2.02% year-on-year to 130Mt in 2012, according to the local Statistics Bureau. In 2012, Sichuan's cement industry recorded US$7.68bn in total output value, a year-on-year increase of 1.87%. Meanwhile, the industry's profit rose by 0.81% year-on-year to US$0.44bn.
North China's Hebei Province's cement output reached 128.1Mt in 2012. The province's building materials industry recorded US$1.7bn in profit in 2012, a year-on-year decrease of 21.8%.
East China's Jiangxi Province saw its cement output increase by 10.2% to 76.4Mt in 2012, according to the local branch of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Sinoma: Sinoma International Engineering has announced that the company plans to invest US$25.2m to set up a subsidiary in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong unit will acquire a 68% stake in the India-based cement firm, LNV Technology. Sinoma International said that the acquisition will increase its competitiveness in India's cement engineering market.
Separately, Sinoma estimated that the company's net profit for 2012 will decrease by 50% year-on-year in 2012, compared with a profit of US$247m in 2011.
Company news: Shanghai-listed cement and clinker producer, Xishui Strong Year Co Ltd Inner Mongolia, has estimated that the company's net profit will surge by 590% on-year in 2012, compared with a profit of US$1.51m in 2011.
Fujian Cement Inc expects to earn US$4.17m to US$4.98m in net profit in 2012, a year-on-year decrease of 79.2% to 75.27%.
Henan Tongli Cement Co Ltd, a Shenzhen-listed cement producer, has estimated that its net profit for 2012 will be between US$23.9m and US$28.6m, a year-on-year decrease of 26.1% to 38.1%. Tongli Cement earned US$38.7m in net profit in 2011.