Displaying items by tag: Kenya

Kenya: Cement consumption has fallen for the first time since 2000. It fell by 8.2% year-on-year to 6.2Mt in 2017 from 6.7Mt in 2016, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reported on by the Daily Nation newspaper. Reduced demand for building materials in the construction sector occurred at the same time as a fall in the value of building plans approved in 2017.

Kenya: East African Portland Cement (EAPC) is relying on a US$100m land sale to the government to remain solvent. The company is in discussions to sell over 14,000 acres of land to the newly established Special Economy Zones Authority funds, according to the East African newspaper. The cement producer has seen its production halted, cement stocks depleted and staff salaries delayed over the last two months. It reported a loss of US$9.58m in the second half of 2017 from a loss of US$2.45m in the same period in 2016.

Kenya: East African Portland Cement plans to build a railway terminal at Athi River near its integrated cement plant. The depot will be used to help deliver raw materials by train on the Standard Gauge Railway to the plant, according to the Business Daily newspaper. Managing director Simon Peter ole Nkeri said that his company relies ‘heavily’ on imported clinker. The cement producer is holding discussions with the government about the project.

Kenya: The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has committed US$96m to invest in National Cement towards upgrading a cement plant and building new grinding plants. National Cement’s chairman and chief shareholder Narendra Raval is also expected to invest US$102m into the expansion project, according to the Daily Nation newspaper. The company intends to build two grinding plants in Kenya and Uganda and a new 5500t/day clinker production line at its existing integrated plant in Merrueshi in Kenya. It also plans to build a 8MW captive power plant at Merrueshi.

Kenya: Bamburi Cement’s turnover fell by 6% year-on-year to US$357m in 2017 from US$380m in 2016. The subsidiary of LafargeHolcim attributed the decline to poor weather, a prolonged election period and lower construction activity, especially in the individual home builder segment, in Kenya. In Uganda it described the market as ‘broadly flat’ for both domestic and export sectors. The cement producer’s profit fell by 66.5% to US$19.6m from US$58.4m.

Chairman John Simba said, “While the 2017 results reflect a mixed performance in a challenging market environment, we remain positive that the market conditions in both countries will continually improve and rebound in line with the projected growth in both domestic and regional markets. The expected commissioning of the new capacity in the second half of 2018 will see the business enhance its market leadership position and underscores our belief in the growth of East African economies, underpinned by a robust construction industry.”

Kenya: East African Portland Cement’s loss grew to US$9.58m in the second half of 2017 from US$2.45m in the same period in 2016. Its sales revenue fell by 17% year-on-year to US$30.2m from US$36.6m, according to the Standard newspaper. It has blamed the falling sales on ‘prolonged’ political unrest connected to the two elections the country held in 2017.

Kenya: East Africa Portland Cement has gained re-certification for ISO 14001 on environmental management system, and OHSAS 18001 for occupational health and safety. Company official Simon Peter ole Nkeri said that the achievement was part of the company’s around strategy, according to the Business Daily newspaper. He added that the adoption of an environmental quality management system was a strategic decision to improve the company’s performance.

Kenya: Bamburi Cement has announced the appointment of Seddiq Hassani as the new managing director of the company. Hassani will replace Eric Kironde who has been acting Managing Director and Finance Director for the past four months. Hassani joins Bamburi Cement from LafargeHolcim’s Middle East and Africa Region where he was the Head of Growth and Innovation since September 2015, based in Paris, France.

“We are confident that with his strong and wide experience in operational and functional positions, more specifically, in leading transformation and managing growth strategies at both country and international level, he will support the continued growth of the business to achieve its mid- and long-term strategic goals,” said the company board in a statement.

The board also announced the appointment of Nicolas George as a Board Director of Bamburi Cement Limited and Managing Director of Hima Cement Ltd, Uganda.

The cement maker plans to increase its production capacity from 2.3Mt/yr to 3.3Mt/yr in order to meet market demand in 2018, the first phase of its capacity expansion projects in both Kenya and Uganda. The US$38.5m expansion began in January 2017 with a new mill at its Athi River plant.

Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta has inaugurated National Cement’s US$280m integrated plant in Kajiado County. The clinker plant has a production capacity of 1.2Mt/yr and it set to employ 700 workers, according to the Agence de Presse Africaine. The plant also includes a 15MW captive power plant.

Egypt: Arabian Cement plans to increase its exports to Africa and Asia. A senior official said the cement producer is considering international expansion amidst strong competition at home, according to Daily News Egypt. At present the company has exported cement to Libya, Yemen, Kenya, Madagascar and Somalia.

Arabian Cement is a joint venture between Spain’s Grupo Cementos La Unión, the majority shareholder, and a group of local investors. It operates a 5Mt/yr cement plant in Suez governorate.