Displaying items by tag: Government
Cement importer says Philippines faces shortages to 2020
25 September 2017Philippines: A gap between local production and demand is expected to lead to a deficit in cement for the next three to four years to 2020. Napoleon Co, president and owner of cement importer Cebu Oversea Hardware, told the Manila Bulletin newspaper that imports from China and other countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should be able to address the shortfall until new production capacity is built. Co added that the country imported 6Mt of cement in 2016 mainly from China and Vietnam. Similar or higher volumes of imports are expected in 2017.
Cement importers have been lobbying the Department of Trade and Industry to allow pre-shipment inspection and certification of cement. However, local cement producers have opposed the change.
Algeria to stop cement imports in 2018
20 September 2017Algeria: Mohamed Benmeradi, the minister of commerce, says that Algeria will stop importing cement in 2018. He stated on national radio that the country is producing enough cement and is now considering exports, according to the Liberté Algerie newspaper. The government is amending the import licence system to encourage local growth.
Local council approves extension to St Marys Cement’s Charlevoix plant construction period
19 September 2017US: The Charlevoix Township Board of Trustees has approved a request from St Marys Cement to extend a certificate allowing St Marys Cement more time to complete expansion work at its Charlevoix plant in Michigan. Votorantim Cimentos North America asked the local government body to extend its industrial facilities exemption certificate abatement by one year, as construction at the site is not expected to be completed until the end of 2018, according to the Charlevoix Courier newspaper. The cement producer plans to have the new systems at the plant running by mid-May 2018.
Upgrade work at the plant will increase its production capacity from 1.3Mt/yr to nearly 2Mt/yr. The cost has been budgeted at US$130m.
Cambodian government to cap cement production licences
13 September 2017Cambodia: The Cambodian government is planning to cap the number of cement production licences after the opening of two new cement plants that are expected to start operations by the end of 2017, according to Hort Pheng, director of the Industrial Affairs Department at the Ministry of Industry. Pheng made his comments to the Phnom Penh Post newspaper in relation to Chip Mong Insee, a joint venture between Chip Mong Group and Thailand’s Siam Cement Group, and Battambang Conch Cement, a joint venture between Battambang KT Cement and China’s Anhui Conch. The new plants will join the country’s three existing plants operated by Kampot Cement, Cambodia Cement Chakrey Ting and Thai Boon Roong in Kampot province.
“Despite investors coming to ask us for potential locations for cement plants, the ones in Kampot and Battambang are enough. The other provinces lack the quality of limestone needed for cement production,” said Pheng. He added that, once all five plants were operational, they would produce almost enough cement to meet local demand. However, the local construction industry is expected to still need to import cement. Cement plants will be allowed to expand to meet this excess demand.
The 5000t/day Chip Mong Insee cement plant in Kampot is scheduled to open in October 2017. It had a budget of US$262m. The 5000t/day Battambang Conch Cement plant in Battambang has reportedly encountered delays in its construction and it is uncertain whether it will be completed by December 2017. Once open the plant plans to supply the domestic market first, before considering exports to Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.
Vietnam: Ha Tien 1 Cement has warned that a local government scheme in Ho Chi Minh City to replace cement grinding plants with distribution terminals could cost US$62m. The cement producer made the comments as part of a discussion on the development of building materials in the city, according to the Saigon Times newspaper. The government plans to shut down the cement pants on environmental grounds and to move them out of the city.
At present Ho Chi Minh City has 10 cement grinding plants and terminals with a capacity of over 10Mt/yr but this is below the city’s requirements. By 2020, the city may have a shortfall of 3.3Mt/yr. The city plans to build three terminals with a capacity of 1.2Mt/yr each. However, Ha Tien 1 Cement said that transport and loading fees would be huge as the city will require ships to transport cement from northern ports. In addition, the city will have to build special ports to receive bulk cement shipments from the north as the majority of the ports have no facilities for bulk cement.
Mozambique government announces new cement plant for Niassa
08 September 2017Mozambique: President Filipe Nyusi has announced that work on building a new cement plant in Niassa province will start later in 2017. The unit is expected to source many of its raw materials locally, such as limestone and clay, according to the Mozambique News Agency. Once operational the plant is expected to create over 500 jobs. The project follows the reopening of the Cuamba to Lichinga railway in late 2016.
Philippine Cement Importers Association backs pre-shipment inspection
04 September 2017Philippines: The Philippine Cement Importers Association (PCIA) has offered its support for government plans for the pre-shipment testing of imported cement. It has also backed the Bureau of Philippine Standards’ (BPS) new department administrative order that requires mandatory certification of cement products, according to the Philippine Star newspaper. PCIA executive director Dani Enriquez said the draft administrative order was consistent with ISO standards and with the Key Principles and Obligations of the International Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade administered by the World Trade Organization.
However, chief executives from cement producers including Eagle Cement, Taiheiyo Cement Philippines, Republic Cement, Cemex Philippines and Mabuhay Filcement, have opposed the proposed change in government import regulations. Some of the producers have favoured testing of imports upon arrival in the country instead.
Lion cement brand to launch in Cameroon in October 2017
04 September 2017Cameroon: Egin (Entreprise générale industrielle) plans to launch Lion brand cement in October 2017. The company signed an investment agreement with the government’s Investment Promotion Agency (API) in late Augut 2017, according to local press. Around US$15m has been invested in a production unit based in Douala. The site is expcted to employ 30 workers.
Philippines: Chief executives from Eagle Cement, Taiheiyo Cement Philippines, Republic Cement, Cemex Philippines and Mabuhay Filcement have opposed government plans for a minimum requirement of pre-shipment inspection for cement imports. Instead they have called for a rigorous testing procedure for all cement coming from abroad to ensure consumer safety, according to the Philippine Star newspaper. In a letter Paul Ang, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Eagle Cement asked the government to draw up revised rules and guidelines on the issue for the cement industry. He also requested that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other agencies combat technical smuggling of cement.
In separate letters to the DTI, Taiheiyo Cement Philippines president and CEO Satoshi Asabi, Mabuhay Filcement CEO Enrison Benedicto, incoming Republic Cement president Nabil Francis and Cemex Philippines president Ignacio Mijares also argued against pre-shipment inspection in favour of testing imports upon arrival in the country.
Indonesia: Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Rini Soemarno has launched an affordable cement programme for Papua province targeted at its mountainous regions. The scheme is being run with five state-owned companies: Semen Indonesia, Pelni, Pelindo IV, Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia and Pos Indonesia. The scheme has been introduced due to poor transport links to and within the province in conjunction with improvements to road and port infrastructure, according to the Antara news agency. Cement under the scheme is imported by Semen Indonesia to the port at Timika before being distributed by road and aeroplane.