Global Cement News

Philippines: Eagle Cement Corporation’s profit in 2019 was US$118m, up by 25% from US$94.1m in 2018. Sales for the year amounted to US$389m, up by 20% from US$324m in 2018. The Manila Times newspaper has reported that the company attributed the rises to ‘increased sales volumes growth,’ due in part to ‘robust demand for private consumption.’ Eagle president and CEO Paul Ang said, “We keep our positive stance that demand will eventually pick up once the enhanced community quarantine is lifted by the government and we remain committed to delivering high quality cement to both private and public sectors as soon as this happens.”

Eagle Cement Corporation will complete the installation of a fifth mill at its 7.1Mt/yr integrated Bulacan plant in 2020, bringing its cement capacity to 8.6Mt/yr.

India: Germany-based HeidelbergCement has announced the successful expansion of two grinding plants. Accord Fintech News has reported that the company took advantage of the suspension of cement production since 24 March 2020 to complete debottlenecking work at the Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, and Imlai, Madhya Pradesh, grinding plants, bringing their cement production capacities to 3.3Mt/yr and 2.5Mt/yr respectively.

HeidelbergCement India has an integrated capacity of 3.7Mt/yr and a grinding capacity of 6.3Mt/yr (total capacity: 10Mt/yr).

Cameroon: Germany-based Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions has won an engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contract with Netherlands-based Cimpor Global Holdings for the installation of a clay calcination plant at its new integrated Kribi cement plant in the Port of Kribi in South Cameroon. The system calcines clay at just 800°C, which can then replace clinker at a ratio of one to two, lowering the finished cement’s clinker factor by up to 33%.

ThyssenKrupp says that use of the system, the first of its kind in Cameroon and second at a Cimpor Global Holdings cement plant, will help cut CO₂ emissions by 120,000t/yr, corresponding to a reduction of 40%.

US: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared the Portland Cement Association its 2020 Energy Star Partner of the Year. The appointment recognises the PCA’s ‘leadership, innovation and commitment to environmental protection through energy efficiency. PCA president and CEO Mike Ireland said, “PCA and its members have greatly benefited from participation in the Energy Star programme. Cement plants have total annual source energy savings of 6.38bn mega joules and have reduced energy-related CO2 emissions by 1.5Mt/yr.”

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos earned revenues of US$2.47bn in 2019, up by 3.0% year-on-year from US$2.39bn in 2018. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation rose by 1.1% to US$513m from US$507m in 2018. Throughout the year, the company says that it paid off approximately US$570m of debt and contracted with a syndicate of banks for a new committed credit facility (CCF) for its alternative fuel substitution and CCF reduction initiatives of US$55.1m, due in August 2024.

On 30 March 2020 Votorantim Cimentos donated US$5.5m to fighting the effects of the coronavirus in Brazil.