Global Cement News

India: Roads and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has threatened implementing price controls on cement. He blamed problems his ministry has faced building concrete roads on alleged price collusion, according to the Telegraph India newspaper. During questions at the Indian Parliament he said that if cement producers did not ‘fall in line’ then he would propose placing cement under the Essential Commodities Act.

Ivory Coast: LafargeHolcim Ivory Coast has launched Bélier SuperBéton. The 52.5N strength cement product offers high resistance. It has been specially developed for concrete applications with increased compatibility with admixtures.

Cuba: The Nuevitas cement plant expects to produce 0.12Mt of cement in 2018. Nearly 80% of this output will be used to build houses, according to the Adelante newspaper. The plant serves the Camagüey province as well as Las Tunas, Granma and Ciego de Ávila.

Turkey: Sabanci Group, the controlling shareholder of Çimsa Cement, is in talks to sell three of the cement producer’s plants. It is considering divesting integrated plants at Kayseri, Nigde and Ladik, according to sources quoted by Reuters. The company operates five integrated plants and a grinding plant.

Bolivia: Soboce (Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento) has inaugurated a new vertical grinding mill at its Viache integrated plant. Together with its other integrated plants at Oruro and Tarija and a grinding plant at Santa Cruz the company now has a cement production capacity of 2.9Mt/yr, according to the Diario Pagina Siete newspaper. The upgrade cost US$85m. Soboce ordered an OK 36-4 vertical roller mill from Denmark’s FLSmidth for the project. To coincide with the new mill the company will also launch ‘Viacha LP12 Insuperable,’ a new cement product.