India: Star Cement has announced the completion of its US$61m grinding plant project in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. The Press Trust of India has reported that the 2Mt/yr grinding plant is set to enter production shortly. This will bring the company’s installed capacity to 6.3Mt/yr. The company intends to source clinker from its integrated cement plant in Meghalaya that has mines nearby. Fly ash will be procured from West Bengal or Bihar.

Star Cement plans to discontinue its lease of another grinding plant in Siliguri, West Bengal, at the end of January 2021.

Brazil: Cement producers sold 60Mt of cement in 2020, up by 11% year-on-year. The Valor Econômico newspaper has reported that residential and commercial renovations and new projects contributed to the increase. The National Cement Industry Association (SNIC) has forecast that growth will not exceed 1% in 2021. It said that this will be due to an economic downturn and the end of the government’s emergency aid programme.

Cameroon: Nigeria-based Dangote Cement plans to increase the capacity of its 1.5Mt/yr Douala cement grinding plant near the Cameroonian capital of Yaoundé to 3Mt/yr. The Nigerian Guardian newspaper has reported that the company’s current expansion plan aims at exploiting multiple trade routes within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Aliko Dangote said that the plant is “our largest greenfield project in a neighbouring country with which we not only share a border but also a long history of brotherly relations dating from our colonial days. Owing to the rich culture and history that we share, we have a better understanding of Cameroon.” He added, “Our desire to increase our investment with the Phase-2 project is based on not only the fast growth rate of the Cameroonian economy but also due to the warm welcome extended to us and the enabling environment created by the government of Cameroon. Our choice of Cameroon for this multi-million-dollar investment is quite strategic. Cameroon is the largest economy in Central Africa and is well endowed with abundant natural resources. The country also enjoys political stability, adequate security and growing infrastructural development. In addition, President Biya has created an enabling environment that has continued to attract investors both from within and outside the African continent.”

UK: Cemex UK has announced plans for two new plastic packing production lines at Rugby cement plant. The company said that the lines will directly serve the plastic packing needs of packed cement production at the plant. The total investment cost of the installation will be Euro5.6m. Work will begin in early 2021 and be completed from June 2021. Cemex first entered the plastic packed cement market in 2011.

US: LafargeHolcim has signed an agreement to buy Firestone Building Products from Bridgestone Americas for US$3.4bn. The company said that the new subsidiary recorded estimated net sales of US$1.8bn and earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$270m. The group will finance the deal through cash and debt. It said that the acquisition is a milestone in its transformation to become the ‘global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions.’

Chief Executive Officer Jan Jenisch said, “I am excited to be entering the highly attractive roofing business. With Firestone Building Products we are strengthening our biggest market, the US, while also building a global growth and innovation platform for the company. Today’s milestone is a strategic leap on our journey to become the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions to build a world that works for people and the planet. I have great respect for the high-calibre leadership and expertise of the Firestone Building Products’ team and look forward to welcoming them into the LafargeHolcim family.”

Vietnam: The Vietnam National Cement Corporation (VICEM) aims to increase cement production by 1% year-on-year to 22Mt in 2021. The Viet Nam News newspaper has reported that the company is targeting a sales increase of 7% to US$1.5bn and a profit increase of 13% to US$99m. The company says that it expects domestic cement consumption to rise by 5% to 30Mt.

The group has set out six solutions by which to achieve its goals: continue to ‘optimise and improve production capacity’ through promoting research and application of advanced science and technology, focus on ‘investment in depth,’ reduce consumption, use resources economically and reduce environmental impacts throughout the supply chain.

VICEM chair Bui Hong Minh said, “Implementing the comprehensive restructuring project of the corporation in the period of 2019 - 2025 approved by the Ministry of Construction, VICEM is focussing on promoting innovation and creativity to bring new development space and motivation to the Bim Son Cement unit in particular and the cement industry in general.”

In 2020 VICEM increased its full-year profit by US$30m.

Vietnam: Vietnamese cement export growth is forecast to slow in 2021. The Viet Nam News newspaper has reported on research by SSI Research that expected exports to remain stable due to high infrastructure spending in China, but that growth is unlikely due to the full recovery of Chinese domestic cement supply in 2020. SSI Research forecasts a total 2021 cement and clinker sales growth of 2% year-on-year to 104Mt from 102Mt. It predicts a 5% - 7% increase in domestic sales. The country’s installed cement production capacity is due to rise by 7% or 7Mt in early 2021.

Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement increased its full-year sales by 1% year-on-year to US$73m in 2020 from US$72m in 2019. Its cement sales fell by 4% to 1.6Mt from 1.7Mt, and its exports rose by 30% to 0.2Mt. Domestic demand rose by 6% to 9.4Mt from 8.9Mt. Steppe Cement’s market share fell to 15%.

Kazakhstan’s overall cement exports rose by 25% in 2020 to 2.0Mt from 1.6Mt. Imports fell by 14% to 0.6Mt from 0.7Mt.

Syria: The General Company for Cement and Building Materials in Hama central province (Hama Cement) recorded cement sales in excess of 1Mt in 2020. Clinker sales were 0.7Mt. Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) has reported that the total value of sales was US$96m. The year included the beginning of concrete paving slab production at the company’s plant.

The company said that 2021’s tasks consisted of improving the technical specifications of the product and producing new cement types, modernising equipment, developing workers’ skills and diversifying investments.

Algeria: Groupe des Ciments d'Algérie (GICA) subsidiaries Société des Ciments de Hamma Bouziane (SCHB) and Société des Ciments de Ain El Kebira (SCAEK) are planning to export 50,000t of cement to West Africa. The L’Expression newspaper has reported that SCHB will supply 35,000t of the cement, and SCAEK will supply the remainder. SCHB produced 0.8Mt of cement in 2020.