Displaying items by tag: Production

Malaysia: Makin Teguh Sdn Bhd (MTSB) has increased its production of cement to 700t/day to address construction demand in Sabah’s east coast amid a blockade affecting Cement Industries Sabah (CIS), according to the Daily Express. The plant was commissioned in October 2023.

The blockade reportedly stems from a land ownership dispute, where individuals have blocked an access road, leaving CIS unable to distribute cement from its facility.

Charlie Lee Puan Kiang, MTSB operations director, said “Our primary objective is ensuring stable cement supply throughout Sabah’s east coast. We are encouraging hardware stores and cement distributors to use our abundant supply.”

Uzbekistan: Cement production reached 14.74Mt between January and November 2024, up 32% year-on-year from 11.17Mt during the same period in 2023, according to the Statistics Agency.

Vietnam: Cement production rose by 3.5% year-on-year to 184.2Mt in 2024, according to the latest data from the General Statistics Office.

In December 2024, cement output reached 17.2Mt, up by 10% year-on-year. The revised figure for 2023 shows production reached 120Mt, down 4.5% year-on-year.

South Korea: The cement industry in South Korea faces rising costs due to a rising won-to-dollar exchange rate following the attempted impeachment of the president, and transportation disruptions from a railroad strike. This is likely to lead to an increase in coal import costs, according to Chosun Biz news.

The ongoing strike by the National Railroad Workers Union has disrupted cement transportation, though stockpiles in metropolitan areas have mitigated immediate effects. However, prolonged strikes could force production halts.

Kim Seung-jun, researcher at capital market company Hana Securities, said “In the fourth quarter, cement production is expected to decrease by 14% compared to the same period in 2023.”

India: Adani Group has announced a US$750m investment in Rajasthan, with US$375m allocated over the next five years to green energy, cement production and infrastructure development. The group plans to add four cement units, increasing its total capacity by 6Mt/yr, according to BusinessWorld magazine.

Vietnam: Vietnam produced 167Mt of cement in the first 11 months of 2024, up by 3% year-on-year, according to the latest data from the General Statistics Office (GSO). In November 2024, the country’s cement output increased by 12% year-on-year to 17.2Mt, according to the GSO. In 2023, Vietnam produced 120.1Mt of cement, down by 5% year-on-year.

Azerbaijan: The State Customs Committee (SCC) reports that cement production in Azerbaijan reached 3.42Mt in the first 10 months of 2024, an increase of 11.2% compared to the same period in 2023.

The SCC also reported that Azerbaijan exported 695,656t of cement and clinker in the first 10 months of 2024, a 2.4% decline compared to the same period of 2023. However, the value of exports rose by 5.8% to reach US$43.1m, reflecting stronger pricing dynamics in international markets.

Azerbaijan’s cement capacity is approximately 5.2Mt/yr, which provides a solid foundation to meet both domestic and export demand.

North Korea: South Korea-based news outlet Daily NK has reported that an explosion took place in the kiln at North Korea’s Mt Purae cement plant in the early hours of 14 November 2024. It reports that the plant was ‘straining’ to meet ‘aggressive production targets’ after being pushed above its rated capacity.

Speaking anonymously, a source with knowledge of the event said “The explosion was caused by overloading the kiln, as factory management sought to raise production targets under pressure from the provincial party committee, which was responding to the central government’s appeal to demonstrate a spirit of self-sufficiency.”

Plant technicians who analysed the explosion said that management had been too focused on boosting productivity and output cement to properly maintain the kiln. Its managers acknowledged that the accident would not have occurred if they had stuck to the plant’s design capacity.

The factory has since announced that it will adjust its production schedule and resume normal operations after swiftly repairing the damage. No workers were injured.

Armenia: The Armenian government has extended restrictions on the import of cement and clinker from Iran and ‘other countries’ for another six months on 28 November 2024.

The restrictions were first adopted on 13 January 2022 and have been repeatedly extended since then. The latest decision takes effect on 20 January 2025 and is valid until 20 July 2025.

As a result, domestic cement production increased to 1.14Mt in 2023, a rise of 13% year-on-year, while clinker imports rose by 125,200t (19%) and cement imports increased to approximately 270,000t. During the first eight months of 2024, cement imports rose to 305,100t, a 260% increase compared to the same period in 2023, due to lower Iranian cement prices. Concurrently, local cement production declined by 31% to 485,900t in the first half of 2024.

China: Shandong Province will curb cement production from 15 November 2024 to 15 March 2025 to reduce air pollution. The measure, similar to last winter's, was announced by the Province's industry and environment ministries. Shandong's reliance on inefficient captive coal-fired power plants means the measure could reduce coal demand significantly.