Displaying items by tag: Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement sold US$83.4m-worth of cement in 2021, up by 16% year-on-year from its US$71.7m-worth in 2020. Its sales volumes totalled 1.69Mt for the year, up by 2.4% from 1.65Mt in 2020. It exported 202,000t of cement, down by 57% from 86,500t. The company said that production limitations prevented it from fully meeting demand, and it concentrated on local markets. Regarding its outlook in 2022, Steppe Cement said “We have a healthy cash balance and are continuing our capital expenditure (CAPEX) programme to increase the production capacity of the company by 5% by mid-2022.”

Dow Jones Newswires has reported that Kazakhstan’s 2021 full-year cement consumption was 11.6Mt, up by 23% year-on-year from 9.4Mt in 2020. A rule change to pension withdrawals permitting allocations for home improvement and construction bolstered demand growth. Exports fell by 20% to 1.6Mt from 2Mt, while imports rose by 33% to 800,000t from 600,000t.

Kazakhstan: Cyprus-based International Cement Group has announced the temporary closure of its cement plant in Almaty region. Reuters news has reported the reason for the suspension as nationwide political unrest.

Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement's revenues in the nine-month period which ended on 30 September 2021 were US$67.6m, up by 8% year-on-year from US$62.6m in the corresponding period of 2020. Sales volumes rose by 4% to 1.38Mt from 1.33Mt.

Kazakhstan Newsline has reported that projected full-year Kazakh cement demand rose by 24% in the period to 11.3Mt, of which Steppe Cement controls a 14% share. The share of imports remained level at 7%. Nine-month cement exports were 1.4Mt nationally.

Kazakhstan: Korcem, a joint venture of International Cement Korday and Nurzhan Shakirov, plans to invest US$150m in the upcoming 1.5Mt/yr Korday cement plant in Zhambyl region. The company has a mining licence for 11ha of land in Korday district. International Cement Korday, a subsidiary of Singapore-based International Cement Group, holds 88% of shares in the venture. The plant is scheduled for commissioning in mid-2023.

Chair Ma Zhaoyang said “With our accumulated capabilities and experience in the cement industry in Central Asia, as well as Nurzhan Shakirov’s extensive local expertise in Kazakhstan, we are confident that this joint venture will be another success.”

Uzbekistan: Cement production grew by 23% year-on-year to 5.8Mt in the first half of 2021. Data from the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan shows that production increased fastest in the second quarter. It was previously reported that the country imported 1Mt of cement in the first four months of the year. 48% came from Kazakhstan, 27% from the Kyrgyzstan, 23% from Tajikistan and 1% from both Iran and Turkmenistan.

Belarus: The Belarus Architecture and Construction Ministry recorded a 25% year-on-year increase in Belarus’ first-half cement exports in 2021. Business World Magazine News has reported that the value of cement exports in the period rose by 38%. The ministry said that challenges included the on-going coronavirus pandemic and restrictions, bad winter weather and anti-dumping measures in neighbouring Ukraine.

The state is working to enhance Belarusian cement producers’ presence across Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) markets. This includes the establishment of a trading house with Kazakhstan to double the export of building materials to that country.

Kazakhstan: The Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development has lifted a ban on imports of Portland cement, alumina cement, hydraulic cement and clinker into the country. A three-month ban on such imports began in late April 2021, according to the Trend News Agency. Imported cement must conform to new quality standards introduced by the ministry’s Technical Regulation and Metrology Committee in July 2021.

Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement sold 841,000t of cement in the first half of 2021, up by 10% year-on-year from 765,000t in the first half of 2020. Revenues in the period were US$38.8m, up by 22% to from US$31.9m. Average cement delivery prices increased by 11% in the reporting period.

Kazakhstan: The Technical Regulation and Metrology Committee (KTRM) of the Ministry of Trade and Integration is preparing to introduce new standards for imported cement. The new rules will come into place in July 2021, according to the Kazakhstan News Agency. Following their introduction all participants in the cement industry market, including importers, will be required to perform compulsory qualification confirmation in accordance with the national standards. The KTRM has also started setting up a testing laboratory with a site granted accreditation in late April 2021. The Ministry of Integration and Integration and the Kazakhstan Cement and Concrete Manufacturers Association (QazCem) have also held a meeting recently to discuss key industry concerns and the measures required to combat the spread of counterfeit cement products.

Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement’s cement sales in the first quarter of 2021 were US$11.3m, up by 22% year-on-year from US$9.27m in the first quarter of 2020. Volumes increased by 13% to 266,000t from 236,000t. The company said that it remained close to full capacity utilisation. It says that it increased its Kazakh cement market share to over 13%. The market grew by 12% year-on-year in total. The producer reported an 11% price rise and constant levels of tariffs and rental expenses.

Steppe Cement forecast an increase in domestic cement demand due to government infrastructure and housing projects.