Global Cement News

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos has appointed Marcos Electo Figueiredo Garcia as its General Manager of Logistics Efficiency.

Figueiredo Garcia has worked for Votorantim Cimentos since 2013 in a variety of supply chain and logistic roles. Most recently he held the post of Supply Chain Manager since 2019. He holds an engineering degree from the Universidade Federal da Bahia.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Heidelberg Materials has appointed Abderrahim Touile as the plant manager of its Lukala cement plant, operated by local subsidiary Cimenterie de Lukala.

Touile previously worked as the Industry Director for Vicat in Mauritania. He also worked as production manager for Ciments de l'Afrique (CIMAF) in Burkina Faso. Before these roles he held production roles with Lafarge in Morocco and South Africa between 2002 and 2015. Amongst other business and management qualification, Touile holds as master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from the Sorbonne Business School in France.

Greece: Titan Cement International stated in its preliminary results for 2022 that it expects to record Euro2.25bn in consolidated sales for the year. The figure corresponds to growth of 32% year-on-year from full-year consolidated sales of Euro1.71bn in 2021. The group's anticipated earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) are Euro330m, up by 20% year-on-year from Euro275m. Meanwhile, preliminary net debt fell by 12% year-on-year to Euro800m from Euro912m.

During the fourth quarter of 2022, Titan Cement International noted a 'significant improvement' in profitability quarter-on-quarter in its Southeast Europe and US regions. This came about partly due to a decline in electricity costs. The producer noted the success of its cost-saving actions in the area.

India: Sagar Cements recorded consolidated sales of US$197m during the first nine months of the 2023 Indian financial year, more than four times the US$44.6m that it recorded during the corresponding period of the 2022 financial year. Costs rose sharply during the period. Raw materials accounted for 45% of total costs. The producer spent US$32.1m on raw materials, up by more than a factor of four from US$6.54m. Sagar Cements made a nine-month net loss of US$11m, compared to a US$6.07m profit during the first nine months of the 2022 financial year.

Ireland: A court has ruled that the Irish government need not pay legal costs for Environmental Trust Ireland president Michelle Hayes' challenge against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in mid-2022. Hayes unsuccessfully sued the EPA for issuing Irish Cement with a licence to use alternative fuel (AF) at its Limerick cement plant in May 2021. The AF will comprise up to 90,000t/yr of waste tyres, biomass and/or mining by-products.

At the costs hearing, the court noted that Hayes had already caused the EPA to incur 'very significant' legal costs. The court said that Hayes 'sought to have the taxpayer pay even more.' It added that, as a solicitor at Hayes Solicitors Limerick, which represented her in her unsuccessful challenge, Hayes stood to effectively benefit from any recuperated costs. The court concluded "It would mean that legal practitioners like herself are paid by the taxpayer for bringing environmental litigation which is unmeritorious."