Displaying items by tag: Philippines

Philippines: Eagle Cement’s net profit rose by 8% year-on-year to US$64.4m in the first nine months of 2017 from US$59.7m in the same period in 2016. It attributed the growth to higher sales volume despite tight competition, according to the Manila Bulletin newspaper. Its net sales revenue grew by 12% to US$219m from US$196m. This was due to over 20% growth in the sales volume of bagged and bulk cement even though the price of cement has fallen, in part because of imports. The cement producer is set to commission a third production line at its Bulacan plant in 2018.

Philippines: Manufacturers have called for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to increase the number of testing facilities to process imports of cement and steel.

Jesus L Arranza, chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), and Roberto Cola, president of the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute, made their plea as the DTI Consumer and Welfare Protection Group is set to release the revised department administrative orders (DAO) on the inspection and monitoring of standards of imported steel and cement, according to the Manila Bulletin newspaper. Cola said that testing of products under mandatory standards, including steel and cement, is only conducted by the Metals Industry Research Development Center of the Department of Science and Technology. Both industry representatives have called for the DTI to accredit more testing agencies.

The proposed revised DAO is seeking to implement a pre-shipment certification system, in which cement and steel products have to be certified that they met the safety and quality standards at the port of entry. The shipment will also undergo post-shipment inspection upon arrival.

Philippines: The Board of Investments (BOI) has approved Eagle Cement’s application to build a third production line at its Bulacan cement plant. The cement producer plans to increase the site’s clinker production capacity to 4.2Mt/yr from 2.8Mt/yr and its cement production capacity to 7.1Mt/yr from 5.1Mt/yr, according to the Philippine Star newspaper. The upgrade has a cost of around US$138m.

The BOI, part of the attached agency of Department of Trade and Industry, has also approved an application by Eagle Cement’s subsidiary South Western Cement Corp. (SWCC) to become a new cement producer on a non-pioneer status but with pioneer incentives.

Philippines: 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.

Philippines: 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.

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.

Philippines: Three of the Philippines' largest cement manufacturers have offered to waive their exemption from inspection procedures for cement imports, which are currently required only from companies that just import cement. They sent a joint letter to the Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez via Ernesto Ordonez, president of the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines on 24 August 2017. In the letter, Taiheiyo Cement, Cemex and Republic Cement state that they are willing to undergo the same shipment inspection procedures as the traders. Ordonez said the offer was aimed at fostering industry harmony and ensuring adequate supply for the Duterte government's infrastructure push.

However, Atty Vic Dimagiba, president of consumer group Laban Konsyumer, said it was misleading for Ordonez to say that the cement firms have offered to waive their import shipment privilege because the Bureau of Product Standards of the DTI has already come up with a draft Department Administrative Order that will require all cement importers to undergo inspection procedures regardless of the company’s status. Existing legislation had come under fire as it allowed double standards.

Philippines: The National Coalition of Filipino Consumers (NCFC) has asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to investigate alleged sales of substandard cement. The NCFC ran its own investigation and conducted test purchases, according to the Manila Bulletin newspaper, after receiving reports that substandard cement was being sold in La Union, Davao and in Caloocan City. It found expired, mislabelled and unlabelled products.

Philippines: The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CEMAP) has decided to stop collating quarterly sales data on the cement industry due to competition concerns. Instead its president Ernesto Ordonez has urged the government to gather the information, according to the Philippines Star newspaper. Its last report was in 2016. CEMAP is currently under investigation by the Philippine Competition Commission for allegations of anti-competitive behaviour.

Philippines: The Philippine Cement Importers Association (PICA) has supported the Department of Trade and Industry’s measures to regulate cement imports. The association has also proposed that imported cement be tested upon entry, according to the Manila Standard newspaper.

“The PCIA is categorically against importation of sub-standard cement. In fact, the PCIA has proposed to take an active part in monitoring and enforcement against sub-standard cement whether imported or locally manufactured,” said PICA’s executive director Dani Enriquez. He added that sub-standard cement would be bad for business and the country’s infrastructure program.