Global Cement News

Azerbaijan: Cement production in Azerbaijan increased by 4.6% year-on-year to 3.73Mt in 2023, data from the State Statistics Committee has shown. Clinker production rose even more sharply, by 37%, to 3.87Mt. BNI IntelliNews has reported growth of 32% year-on-year in the overall value of building materials in 2023, to US$694m.

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos plans to invest US$1bn in expanding its Brazilian operations in the period up to the end of 2028. US$304m-worth of the investments are already underway at the start of 2024. Reuters has reported that the investments include cement plant projects to raise Votorantim Cimentos’ Brazilian cement production capacity by 8.8% to 37Mt/yr. These include a US$162m investment in a 20% capacity expansion to its Votorantim cement plant and a US$60.8m, 1Mt/yr expansion to its Salto de Pirapora plant. Further aims are to ensure structural competitiveness, raise energy efficiency and digitise operations, including applying artificial intelligence (AI) to freight. The producer expects its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) to eventually rise by US$263/yr between 2023 and 2028 as a result.

US: Eagle Materials recorded sales of US$1.78bn in the first nine months of the 2024 financial year. This corresponds to a rise of 6.2% year-on-year from the corresponding period of the 2023 financial year. The producer’s heavy materials sales rose by 18% to US$889m, and its cement sales volumes rose by 2% to 6Mt. As a result, Eagle Materials raised its net earnings by 11% to US$401m.

China: China Shanshui Cement expects its full-year loss to exceed US$120m in 2024. Reuters has reported that the producer attributes the anticipated decline to a ‘substantial’ drop in cement sales prices.

India: Dalmia Bharat's consolidated sales were US$433m in the third quarter of the 2024 financial year (1 October – 31 December 2023), up by 7.3% year-on-year. This was in part due to an 8.1% rise in the company’s cement sales volumes, amid a nationwide infrastructure spending drive. Its net profit rose by 22% year-on-year to US$32m. The producer partly attributed this to a market correction in the price of raw materials. Premium products accounted for 21% of Dalmia Bharat’s cement sales during the quarter.

Managing director and CEO Puneet Dalmia said “While we believe that margins may improve further from here on, our focus for the next 12 – 15 months will remain on improving our capacity utilisation and delivering industry-leading volume growth.”