Global Cement News

Uzbekistan: 80% of local cement sales were made through the Uzbek Commodity Exchange in the first nine months of 2018. Local sales fell by 4.7% year-on-year to 5.6Mt from 5.9Mt, according to the Trend News Agency. 4.5Mt of this total was sold through the commodity exchange. Falling sales have been blamed on rising natural gas and electricity prices. Tariffs for gas and electricity have increased by at least 60% during 2018 for industrial users in the construction industry, including cement producers.

Jordan: Jordan Cement Company is in a legal dispute with local landowners over land ‘illegally’ acquired near its Fuheis plant. The plaintiffs argue that forgery was used by the company in acquiring land, according to Roya TV. The subsidiary of Switzerland’s LafargeHolcim operates two integrated plants, at Fuheis and Rashadiyah.

Uzbekistan: An event marking the laying of the foundation stone at the Angren cement plant has taken place. Construction work is scheduled to be completed by November 2019. The project is a joint venture between Russia’s Eurocement Group and UzQurilishMateriallari.

Myanmar: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MNREC) is seeking expressions of interest from foreign and local investors to run a feasibility project ahead of building a new cement plant at Hakha Township in Chin State. Early studies suggest that the area has sufficient limestone reserves to support a 5000t/day plant, according to the Myanmar Times newspaper. A new unit in the region is expected to boost the local economy as Chin State has no cement plants.

Ghana: The Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana (CMAG) has praised the introduction of the country’s first building code. The Building Code for Ghana was launched by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in late October 2018, according to the Ghana Multimedia Group. The 1700-page document, in 38 sections, covers all essential areas for the operation of the building and construction industry. The production and launch of the code is intended to end irregularities in the building and construction sector and set standards to ensure that local construction is safe and meets international standards.

“Today is a very significant day in the annals of the history of this country. For the first time ever, through the collaborative efforts of different agencies, Ghana has a comprehensive Building Code. The Ghana Building Code, GS1207 of 2018 is a document that is long overdue but which has finally been delivered,” said Bawumia. He added that the code would reassure people about the risk of collapsing buildings.