Global Cement News

Pakistan: Cement dispatches declined by 18.5% year-on-year across Pakistan in October 2022, according to data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers’ Association (APCMA). Total cement dispatches during October 2022 were 4.25Mt, compared to 5.22Mt in October 2021. Local dispatches fell by 3.98Mt in October 2022 from 4.60Mt in October 2021, a fall of 15.5%. Exports fell by 40.7% from 611,000t in October 2021 to 362,000t in October 2022.

During the first four months of the current fiscal year, which began on 1 July 2022, Pakistan’s total cement dispatches - domestic and exports - were 13.9Mt, down by 23.1% from more than 18Mt during the corresponding period of the prior fiscal year. Domestic dispatches during this period were 12.5Mt against 15.9Mt a year earlier, a reduction of 21.4%. Exports were 36.0% lower than in the first four months of the 2021 - 22 fiscal year, falling to 1.38Mt.

Italy: Cementir Holding sold 8.2Mt of cement and clinker during the first nine months of 2022, down by 1.7% year-on-year from nine-month 2021 levels. China, Denmark, Egypt and Türkiye all contributed to the decline. Group nine-month revenues were Euro1.26bn, up by 25% year-on-year. Third-quarter 2022 revenues rose most sharply, by 45%, in Türkiye, followed by the US (38%), the Nordic and Baltic region (20%) and Belgium (17%). During the third quarter of the year, operating costs increased by 36% to Euro365m from Euro268m. Raw materials, fuels and transport costs all contributed to the rise.

In the first nine months of 2022, the group recorded earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of Euro238m, up by 11% from Euro215m during the first nine months of 2021.

India: JK Lakshmi Cement recorded consolidated sales of US$367m during the first half of its 2023 financial year. The figure corresponds to 19% year-on-year sales growth from US$307m in the first half of the 2022 financial year. Nonetheless, costs growth of 23% to US$338m from US$275m caused the company's net profit to drop by 21% to US$21.5m from US$27.1m.

India: JK Cement subsidiary Jaykaycem has commissioned the 2Mt/yr grinding unit of its upcoming Panna cement plant in Madhya Pradesh. The producer expects to commission the plant's clinkerisation unit later in the 2023 financial year.

New Zealand: Holcim New Zealand says that it has received a mill for use in its upcoming Auckland cement replacement products import and distribution facility. The company opted for a Christian Pfeiffer ball mill for the project.

Holcim New Zealand says that alternative materials imported via the Auckland facility will eliminate 100,000t/yr of cement from New Zealand's 1.6Mt/yr consumption. The company expects that this will cut 78,000t/yr of CO₂ emissions.