Global Cement News

World: The governments of Canada, Germany, India, the UAE and the UK have signed a commitment to support the development of markets for low-carbon cement and concrete in their countries. The governments will create market incentives for purchasers, review and update product standards to allow low-carbon materials to be used in all safe settings and promote their use through their public sector tendering rules.

World Cement Association (WCA) chief executive officer Ian Riley said “I’m delighted to see that governments are heeding our call for urgent action to accelerate decarbonisation of the cement industry around the world, and we look forward to hearing more details from the UK, India, Germany, Canada and UAE on the steps they will take.” He added “This commitment marks a hugely significant shift in mindset that we hope will be followed by other countries in the months ahead. When it comes to hard-to-abate industries like cement, it is vital to work together with governments to create the conditions in which we can get to net zero and beyond, as quickly as possible. We cannot do this alone in time.”

Venezuela: Corporacion Socialista del Cemento plans to begin to export cement to countries in the Caribbean from the beginning of 2022. The El Universal newspaper has reported that the company’s plant is in the process of increasing its production of cement and clinker for the start of exports. In the first 10 months of 2021, it more than doubled its production and more than tripled its sales volumes.

President Pietro Acosta said "We are contributing to the growth of a new free, non-oil, diversified economy.” He added “We will still continue to serve the national market."

US: Martin Engineering has completed its annual October donation programme to breast cancer charity Susan G Komen in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The supplier donated US$50 per truck vibrator and $100 per 70l air cannon sold in the period. Hot pink replaced the products’ traditional orange décor.

Vibration business development manager Susie Orlandi said “As a family-owned company of four generations with over 900 employees making up our extended family, Martin Engineering is acutely familiar with the impact breast cancer has on individuals, families, friends, colleagues and communities. This disease affects such a large number of people that just about all of us have been touched by it in some way.”She added “We’re excited to get this programme back on track after the coronavirus year in 2020.”

Italy: During the first nine months of 2021, Cementir Holding recorded consolidated sales of Euro1.01bn, up by 12% year-on-year from Euro897m in the corresponding period of 2020. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 21% to Euro215m from Euro178m. Its net debt on 30 September 2021 was Euro100m, less than half that on 30 September 2020. Its third-quarter cement and clinker sales were 2.9Mt, down by 7.5% year-on-year. This was due to the impacts of pent-up demand post-Covid-19 lockdown, especially in Belgium and Turkey, in the third quarter of 2020.

Dow Jones Global News has reported that chair and CEO Francesco Caltagirone said "In the first nine months of 2021, the group reported results in line with our expectations.”

Argentina: Loma Negra’s nine-month net sales rose by 27% year-on-year to US$493m in 2021, from US$388m in the corresponding period of 2020. The company recorded adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$151m, up by 29% from US$117m. It net profit fell by 72% to US$32.1m from US$115m.

During the period, the company increased its sales of cement, masonry and lime products by 26% year-on-year to 4.45Mt from 3.54Mt. It said that bagged cement sales remained strong due to sustained demand from the retail sector, while bulk cement sales underwent a sharp recovery in the third quarter of 2021. In light of this, it forecast a relative normalisation of bagged cement sales compared to bulk in the fourth quarter of 2021.