Philippines: Data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shows that imports of cement rose by 64% year-on-year to 1.74Mt in the first quarter of 2019 despite the introduction of a 4% tariff in January 2019. Imports were 1.06Mt in the same period in 2018, according to the Philippines News Agency. The production capacity utilisation factor of local producers is also reported to have fallen. The DTI says it will continue to monitor the situation.

Kenya: ARM Cement has signed a deal to sell its business in Kenya to the National Cement Company for US$50m. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals, according to the Business Standard newspaper. ARM Cement also has operations in Tanzania, Rwanda and some interests, in the form of unexploited mineral deposits, in South Africa.

“This transaction is in line with National Cement’s growth strategy in Kenya to position itself as the leading cement manufacturer in the region. The industry is poised for growth and we are excited about the prospects for this next chapter of our business. We will endeavor to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders including the employees, customers, and suppliers in the overall interest of Kenya,” said Narendra Raval, chairman of National Cement.

The cement producer was placed under administration in August 2018. In late 2018 Oman’s Raysut Cement said it planned to buy ARM Cement as part of its expansion plans. Nigeria’s Dangote Cement was also linked to a potential purchase of the company.

Oman: Raysut Cement Company has signed an agreement to buy Sohar Cement for US$60m. The transfer of ownership for all the shares in the company was completed in mid-May 2019, according to the Oman Daily Observer newspaper. Sohar Cement held a 70% stake in a 1.7Mt/yr grinding plant and UAE-based Fujairah Cement Company owned the rest of the shares.

Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan: Azamat Arapbaev, a member of the Kyrgz parliament, says that Uzbekistan has blocked exports of cement from Kyrgyzstan. The block started in mid-May 2019, according to the Central Asia News Service. Economy Minister Oleg Pankratov said that talks have been held with the ambassador of Uzbekistan over the matter. Cement plants in the south of Kyrgyzstan are dependent on the export market.

India: JSW Cement plans to double its cement production capacity in the eastern region to 8Mt/yr by 2023 – 24. It currently operates a 2.4Mt/yr plant at Salboni in West Bengal and a 1.5Mt/yr plant at Odhisa, according to the Press Trust of India. It intends to meet the target with a combination of upgrades and new units. It also plans to commission a new captive power plant at Salboni by July 2019.

India: Haver Ibau India has been renamed as Haver & Boecker India since April 2019. The subsidiary of Germany’s Haver & Boecker and its subsidiary Ibau started in 2008. The change in name reflects a broader industry base for the Indian subsidiary to continue to include the cement industry as well as customers from building materials, chemicals and food.

Italy: Martin Engineering has launched its successful ‘Mr Blade’ conveyor belt optimisation program in Italy's construction materials sector. The service is a direct-to-site service to maintain and replace belt-cleaner blades that has previously been implemented in the US and the UK. Martin Engineering offers a range of conveyor belt solutions in Italy for industries like energy and steel. The ‘Mr Blade’ program extends this offering to smaller sites – such as quarries, concrete and asphalt plants. Martin Engineering expects to launch its ‘Mr Blade’ service in other European countries later in 2019.

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos’ revenue rose by 5.5% year-on-year to US$615m in the first quarter of 2019 from US$683m in the same period in 2018. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) more than doubled to US$143m from US$52.2m. Its sales volumes of cement fell by 5% to 6.4Mt from 6.7Mt. It attributed the increase in revenue to its results in Brazil and Latin America, as well as positive currency effects.

India: Shree Cement’s revenue rose by 24% year-on-year to US$1.80bn in the year to 31 March 2019 from US$1.46bn a year earlier. Its profit fell by 27% to US$146m from US$199m. Its power and fuel costs increased by 56% to US$444m from US$284m.

India: JK Cement’s income rose by 4% year-on-year to US$767m in the year to 31 March 2019 from US$740m in the same period in 2018. Its profit fell by 8% to US$37.9m from US$41m, mainly due to tax expenses.