Global Cement News

India: The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has claimed responsibility for an improvised explosive device (IED) blast which injured one person and damaged a wall and water pipes at Star Cement’s cement plant in the East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. The Press Trust of India has reported that the attack resulted from the producer’s failure to pay protection money as a non-locally-owned business.

Uzbekistan: Suppliers have completed the delivery of equipment from China for cement production at Fergana Yasin Qurilish Mollari’s Fergana cement plant. Trend News has reported that the Uzbek-Chinese joint venture will complete the second phase of the plant’s construction in July 2021, at a cost of US$120m. As a result its capacity will rise to 2.0Mt/yr.

Oman: Raysut Cement received a total of seven awards at the Oman Best Employer Brand Awards 2020 and the Gulf Cooperation Council Best Employer Brand Awards 2020. Group chief executive officer (CEO) Joey Ghose won CEO of the Year at both the Oman and GCC awards. In the former, the company also won Best Use of Technology in the Workplace, Promoting Health in the Workplace and Training Provider of the Year. At the regional awards it won the Talent Management and Leaders of Tomorrow awards.

Acting deputy CEO Salim bin Ahmed bin Alawi Al Ibrahim said, “We operate beyond Oman - in the UAE through our subsidiary Pioneer Cement Company, in Yemen through associates and in East Africa through trading offices as well as new investments. We have also invested in Georgia and have recently acquired a terminal in the Maldives too. We will be expanding further and will be present in different parts of the world supporting infrastructure development in various geographies with Omani clinker and cement. Last year RCC acquired Sohar Cement Company and we believe that our success lies in our highly motivated, skilled and trained employees who deliver the best quality we are known for.”

Oman: Raysut Cement has inaugurated new leisure facilities at the Al Wafa Social Centre in Salalah. The company oversaw the establishment of a rehabilitation hall and hydrotherapy facility and reequipped the centre with new sports equipment.

Salalah cement plant general manager Mohammed Ahmed Aideed said, “The opening of this project comes within the company's strategy for social responsibility which covers the support for Al Wafa Social Centre in Salalah.” He added, “Today we inaugurate this project, which is one of the fruits of this strategy approved by Raysut Cement Company’s Board of Directors.”

Canada/US: Brazil-based Votorantim Cimentos says it has agreed to form a new 83%-owned subsidiary based in Toronto to combine the assets of McInnis Cement and St Mary’s Cement. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), the current owner of McInnis Cement, will hold a 17% stake in the joint-venture. The group says that it will manufacture, distribute and sell building materials in the companies’ existing regions in Canada and the US.

Votorantim Cimentos said, “The company believes this transaction will result in the creation of a competitive, nimble and highly efficient business that will be better able to supply cement to customers in Canada and the US. In addition to strengthening the company’s presence in North America by expanding its current cement production capacity by 2.2Mt/yr and combining the company’s Great Lakes-focused distribution network with McInnis Holding’s complementary distribution network in Eastern Canada and the Northeastern USA, the Company anticipates the Transaction will result in substantial synergies.”

The transaction is subject to approval by regulatory authorities in Brazil, the US and Canada.