Displaying items by tag: coronavirus

India: Dalmia Bharat has donated US$262,000 to the Odisha Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to help people survive the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown. United News of India has reported that Dalmia Bharat has participated in extensive humanitarian efforts during the on-going pan-Indian coronavirus lockdown, including delivering a week’s groceries to 650 families in the Odisha town of Rajgangpur and dry food packets to 900 families in districts around its Biswali, Odisha plant. The group has cooked meals for 3000 people and arranged with local administrators to feed a further 8800. Dalmia Bharat has also opened its technical centres, guest houses and schools to medical authorities for use in treating coronavirus cases. Dalmia Bharat East regional manufacturing head Sunil Gupta said, “We are totally committed to supporting the national and state governments in their fight to contain the spread of COVID-19.”

India: Shree Cement has said that it will resume production across its 37.9Mt installed capacity as soon as the government lifts its coronavirus lockdown. Shree Cement general manager Hari Bangur said, “We are technically ready to start our cement plants.” The Business Standard newspaper reported that other producers are equally determined to get back to work. JK Lakshmi Cement has said that it will require a minimum of 15 days after the end of lockdown to streamline its operations.

China: Huaxin Cement has announced a predicted profit drop of 46% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020, to US$100m from US$188m in the corresponding three months of 2019. Huaxin Cement said, “During the reporting period, the company's performance declined significantly, mainly due to the impact of the coronavirus epidemic, which caused sales to fall by 36%.”

UK: Aggregate Industries has announced a donation of materials to the NHS for use in construction of the Louisa Jordan temporary coronavirus hospital in the Scottish Exhibition Centre (SEC) Glasgow. The hospital will host up to 1000 patients when completed in April 2020.

Nigeria: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge Africa has donated three of its facilities - along with personal protective equipment (PPE) - for use to isolate and treat coronavirus patients. Lafarge Africa chief executive officer (CEO) Khaled El Dokani said, “Our intervention will relieve healthcare facilities in Lagos and in our host communities, to support those fighting COVID-19.”

In addition, Lafarge Africa stepped up its water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives in its host communities.

Poland: The Association of Cement Producers (SPC) has told the government that the cement industry generates 1.0% (Euro5.39bn) of annual gross domestic product (GDP) directly and 10% (Euro53.9bn) indirectly via construction and, as such, ought to be permitted to continue operations as a ‘necessary business’ under the terms of the country’s coronavirus lockdown. The SPC also said that the industry serves a crucial function in disposing of 11-12% (1.32 – 1.44Mt/yr) of Poland’s waste as fuel for cement production.

Poland has been on lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak since 11 March 2020.

India: Cement manufacturers in India have seen a significant turn in fortunes since the start of 2020 due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Producers, which had been raising prices and selling high volumes at the start of the year, are seeing a slump in demand in the wake of a nation-wide lockdown that began in mid-March 2020. Motilal Oswal Financial Services estimates that cement sales in March 2020 will be 40% lower than those seen in March 2019. Even after the lockdown ends, there will be severe knock-on effects for the remainder of India’s 2021 Fiscal Year (FY2021), which ends on 31 March 2021. This is expected to be due to weak economic growth, government cuts in spending on infrastructure and lower real estate demand.

Indeed, ratings agency CRISIL expects cement demand in India to contract by at least 10 - 15% in FY2021 compared to FY2020, with a ‘worst-case scenario’ of up to a 25% reduction.

The only respite that cement manufacturers may see is on the logistics side. With lower production volumes, transporters are offering more concessions on freight rates that will further help with costs, according to analysts. Low oil prices will benefit producers, while Petcoke prices may also remain relatively low.

Philippines: Holcim Philippines has suspended the operation of its manufacturing plant in Davao as the city goes on lockdown until (at least) 19 April 2020 in order to contain the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. This was due to a 4 April 2020 order by Mayor Sara Duerte that imposed enhanced community quarantine protocols. Holcim plants are now suspended in the whole of Luzon and in Davao City, prompting the company to announce that it could miss its full-year goals.

Luzon is now on the fourth week of a month-long isolation order that is formally due to end on 12 April 2020. However, government officials have already sounded the possibility that this could be extended.

Pakistan: The Pak-India Business Council (PIBC), a leading Pakistan-based organisation that advocates for stronger trade ties with India, has welcomed a relief package for the construction sector announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The PIBC said that the measures would be help generate business in the country, including for those taking home daily wages, who have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

PIBC Chairman Noor Muhammad Kasuri said that the Khan's relief package would help provide relief to construction workers. He also welcomed an exemption of duty on construction materials, including cement, that would also help construction firms and allied businesses. Kasuri even added that the steps would open ‘new vistas of investment’ in the country after the outbreak.

Mexico: Cemex has announced that will resume operations in Mexico, just hours after announcing that it would halt all operations in the country. The turnaround was due to new government guidelines regarding essential business operations during the coronavirus outbreak.

"In accordance with the technical guidelines published today in the official Mexican gazette, the company will resume operations in Mexico to support the development and the economy of the country during the COVID-19 contingency," said Cemex in a statement on 6 April 2020. Earlier the same day it had announced that it would halt all Mexican operations until at least 30 April 2020.