Displaying items by tag: Vietnam

Vietnam: Xuan Thien Group has secured permission for the construction of a US$1.25bn, 10Mt/yr cement plant in Hoa Binh Province. Việt Nam News has reported that the plant will occupy a 48 hectare site in Lac Thuy District. Construction will also involve the clearance of 48 hectare of jungle. Xuan Thien Group is currently also engaged in the construction of a lime plant and solar panel assembly plant in the district.

Vietnam: Analysis by SSI Research forecasts that the reopening of the Chinese economy, following its change in public health policy towards Covid-19, should increase cement exports in the second half of 2023. If this happens it is expected to reduce competition between producers in central and northern regions, according to the Việt Nam News newspaper. Signs of a recovery in cement exports to China were already noted in the fourth quarter of 2022. However, an increase in clinker export tariffs from the start of 2023 may presents a fresh issue for the producers. Cement and clinker exports from Vietnam fell by 29% year-on-year to 31.7Mt in 2022.

US: US cement companies produced 95Mt of cement in 2022, up by 2.2% year-on-year from 93Mt in 2021, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The country exported 900,000t of cement and clinker, down by 4.3% from 940,000t. The USGS recorded a 9.1% leap in apparent national consumption, to 120Mt from 110Mt. Cement imports helped to close the gap, rising by 20% year-on-year to 24Mt from 19.9Mt.

Among the US's main trade partners for cement imports, cement production fluctuated in 2022. Turkish cement production rose by 3.7% year-on-year to 85Mt, Mexican cement production fell by 3.8% year-on-year to 50Mt and Vietnamese cement production rose by 9.1% year-on-year to 120Mt. Globally, the USGS estimated a year-on-year cement production decline of 6.8% to 4.1Bnt.

Vietnam: New cement lines will raise Vietnamese cement production capacity by 4% year-on-year in 2023 to over 120Mt/yr. Vietnam News Summary has reported that upcoming new capacity scheduled to commence operations during the year include a 4.5Mt/yr line at a Xuan Tanh Cement plant and a 2.5Mt/yr line at a Long Son Cement plant.

Vietnamese cement demand was 65Mt in 2022. Several producers suspended cement lines during the second half of that year due to high costs and unfavourable market conditions.

Vietnam: Vicem recorded full-year sales of US$1.68bn during 2022, up by 17% year-on-year. The producer sold 27.5Mt of cement, down by 6.7% year-on-year. Export sales volumes declined more sharply than those on the domestic market. Vicem responded to the cost impacts of economic disruptions arising from the on-going Russian invasion of Ukraine by raising its cement prices. Nonetheless, its profit fell by 30% year-on-year to US$63.9m.

Vietnam News Summary has reported that Vicem is aiming to achieve sales growth of 4% year-on-year in 2023, to US$1.74bn. Export sales growth prospects are strong, since China resumed its import of foreign goods at the end of December 2022. China consumed 54% of all Vietnamese cement exports in 2021.

Vietnam: Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) has forecast 6.1% three-year growth in national coal demand to 115Mt in 2025 from 108Mt in 2022. Four main industries – cement, fertilisers, metal and power generation – are expected to retain over 90% of the combined share of domestic consumption. Vinacomin expects national coal production to increase by 1.3Mt/yr over the period, retaining a 40 – 45% stake in the domestic market. Five-year consumption of imported lignite is forecast to rise to 70 – 75Mt throughout the period up to 2026.

Vietnam: ThyssenKrupp Polysius’ Asia Pacific division has secured an order for two Polflame-type main burners for an unnamed cement plant. The equipment supplier has highlighted the ability of its burner product to cope with low-grade coal and support high alternative fuel substitution rates as key selling factors. The order follows the purchase of an Impact Crusher by the same customer previously.

Lukas Schoeneck, the chief executive officer of Polysius Asia Pacific, said "We are very proud to add burners number 17 and 18 to our installed base in Vietnam which ensures our market leader position. Now we have to put our focus on the delivery and installation of the burner - in time and quality.”

Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has decided to impose anti-dumping duties on cement imported from Vietnam. Trade Secretary Alfredo E Pascual said that the dumping of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Blended Cement from Vietnam posed an "imminent threat of material injury to the domestic cement industry," according to the BusinessWorld newspaper. The duties will comprise 4 – 28% of the export price of OPC and 3 – 55% of the price of Blended Cement. The DTI has identified 11 cement companies from Vietnam that will be targeted with the anti-dumping tariffs.

A report by the Tariff Commission found that 53% of the total cement imported from July 2019 to December 2020 comprised product originating from Vietnam at dumped prices. Overall the country’s OPC and Blended Cement imports rose by 11% year-on-year to 5.90Mt in 2020 and by 16.2% to 6.85Mt in 2021. Imports rose by a further 7% year-on-year to 3.50Mt in the first half of 2022 compared to an average of 3.27Mt for the same half-year periods in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The TC said, "The existence of threat of material injury to the domestic industry is imminent in the near future, as indicated by the significant rate of increase of dumped imports into the Philippines capturing substantial market share, presence of price undercutting, price depression and price suppression.”

Vietnam: Thailand-based Siam City Cement has launched construction of Mill 2 of its 1.3Mt/yr Thi Vai grinding plant in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Việt Nam News has reported that the company plans to invest US$35m in the project.

The Thi Vai grinding plant cost US$53m when built in 2003.

Vietnam: The Ministry of Construction has appointed Bui Xuan Dung as the chair of the Vietnam Cement Corporation (VICEM).

Bui Xuan Dung trained as a civil engineer and holds a master’s degree in business administration. He worked for the Hanoi Construction Corporation from 1995 to 2021 becoming its General Director in 2015. Since 2021 he has held the post of Director of the Housing and Real Estate Market Management Department at the Ministry of Construction.

VICEM is a state-owned cement producer controlled by the Ministry of Construction. It operates 16 production lines at 10 plants and holds around 35% of the country’s market share in the cement sector.