Global Cement News

Spain: Cement consumption grew by 120% year-on-year to 1.24Mt of cement in April 2021 from 0.57Mt in April 2020. Oficemen, the Spanish cement association, says that the rise continues a pre-coronavirus positive trend, representing an increase of 3% from April 2019 levels. It added that the demand was the highest of any April since 2011. The association nonetheless urged caution in light of a 4% drop in four-month cement demand levels compared with the first four months of 2019, and a more moderate 25% increase year-on-year from 2020 levels.

In April 2021, Spanish producers exported 812,000t of cement, up by 230% from 248,000t in April 2020.

Taiwan: Taiwan Cement’s revenue rose by 11.3% year-on-year to US$788m in the first quarter of 2021. Its income increased by 11% to US$119m. It attributed this to profit growth in its cement businesses in Taiwan and Europe despite ‘weak’ sales prices in China.

Chairman Nelson Chang said, “To reduce carbon emissions, using alternative fuel and material for cement production, adopting renewable energy, and expanding energy storage usage are crucial and Taiwan Cement aims to play our role in helping society achieving the goal of a low carbon environment.” In 2020 the group processed over 9Mt of alternative fuels in its Greater China business.

Brazil: CSN Cimentos has filed for an initial public offering (IPO). Reuters previously reported that the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) subsidiary entered talks with Banco Bradesco and JPMorgan Chase regarding management of a future IPO in February 2021. CSN has not revealed the bank it has chosen.

India: Prism Johnson has added a proposed addition of 1Mt/yr to the cement grinding production capacity at its 5.6Mt/yr integrated plant at Satna in Madhya Pradesh. The project is expected to cost around US$34m with a scheduled commissioning date by September 2023. In January 2021 the cement producer said it was considering investing US$19m in a 0.9Mt/yr expansion to the Satna plant with a commissioning date by December 2021.

Ivory Coast: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has set caps for the ex-factory and retail price of cement. Maximum prices have been designated for 32.5 and 42.5 grades of Ordinary Portland Cement in both urban and rural areas, according to the Agence de Presse Africaine. The ministry said that arrangements had been made with producers to keep the market supplied. It added that failure to comply with the designated prices would lead to penalties.