China: China National Building Material’s (CNBM) revenue from its cement operations rose by 22% year-on-year to US$12.4bn in 2017 from US$10.1bn in 2016. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBTIDA) rose by 27% to US$2.94bn from US$2.32bn.

Cement production volumes from the group’s four main divisions – China United, South Cement, North Cement and Southwest Cement – remained stagnant at 258Mt in 2017. However, the group’s cement production capacity for the four divisions was 411Mt/yr giving it a capacity utilisation rate of 63%. Overall the group said it had a cement production capacity of 525Mt/yr.

As well as following government-mandated structural reforms, including environmental changes and production peak shifting, CNBM said that China United started production at a new plant in Mongolia. North Cement completed a merger between its Harbin and Longbei subsidiaries. Southwest Cement completed a merger between Southwest Sichuan Cement and Chongqing Southwest Cement to form Chuanyu Southwest Cement.

Philippines: Phinma Group has returned to the cement industry bringing its ‘Union Cement’ brand back to the market. Its cement production subsidiary, Philcement, is also building a new 2Mt/yr cement plant in Bataan, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper. The new plant is expected to be operational in early 2019. No cost for the plant has been disclosed.

Phinma sold its majority interest in Union Cement in 2004 and the business eventually became part of Switerland’s Holcim. However, Phinma subsequently required the Union Cement trademark after Holcim Philippines abandoned it.

The cement producer’s head is Eduardo Sahagun, the former boss of Holcim Philippines from 2013 to 2017. At present Philcement is distributing cement from third parties.

China: Anhui Conch has spent over US$7.9m on a 50,000t CO₂ capture and purification pilot project at its Baimashan cement plant in Anhui province. The unit is scheduled to start operation in the first half of 2018. The group has started the project in order to participate in the government’s ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contributions’ CO₂ emission reduction initiative.

Niger: Nouvelle Cimenterie de Niger (NCN) plans to start operation at its new US$90m integrated cement plant at Malbaza. Minister of Industry M Mallam Zaneidou Amirou visited the site to assess its progress, according to the Niger Inter Media Group. Work on the unit started in mid-2011 but was subsequently abandoned.