Global Cement News

Indonesia: Semen Indonesia’s sales export volumes grew by 68.7% year-on-year to 3.16Mt in 2018 from 1.87Mt in 2017. By comparison its local sales rose by 1.2% year-on-year to 27.4Mt from 27.1Mt. Overall, including the group’s Thanh Long Cement subsidiary in Vietnam, sales volumes increased by 5.8% to 33.2Mt from 31.3Mt.

Company Sigit Wahono said that domestic sales had been ‘undermined’ by oversupply in the local market, according to the Antara news agency. However, he said that the state-owned cement producer was planning to expand its export market to countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as Australia. The group has a production capacity of 53Mt/yr following its acquisition of Holcim Indonesia in early 2019.

Pakistan: DG Khan Cement’s sales rose by 26% year-on-year to US$154m in the six months to 31 December 2018 from US$122m in the same period in 2017. Its net profit more than halved to US$12m from US$24.8m. However, its net profit fell by 7% to US$10.9m from US$11.8m.

Pakistan: Kohat Cement’s net sales grew by 22% year-on-year to US$60m in the six months to 31 December 2018 from US$49.1m in the same period in 2017. Its cement production rose by 16% to 1.99Mt from 1.71Mt. The cement producer said that work on a new 7800t/day production line was on schedule with all of the equipment delivered on site.

India: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued a show cause notice to UltraTech Cement's Amreli plant in Gujarat for breaching air pollution limits. CPCB inspectors found that the particulate matter (PM) and NOx emissions were higher than allowed, according to the Times of India newspaper. The unit has been given 15 days to respond to the notice or face a fine of US$420/day since 31 August 2018.

Saudi Arabia: Najran Cement’s sales fell by 20% year-on-year to US$74.2m in 2018 from US$92.3m in the same period in 2017. Its net loss after tax grew to US$22.3m from US$5.8m. The cement producer blamed this on market competition, poor prices and decreased sales volumes.