Jordan: Lafarge Jordan has had its insolvency filing approved by a court in Jordan. The Jordan Times has reported that the company has capital of US$84.6m, while its accumulated losses are US$169m. It has blamed weak demand and an inability to cope with variable operating and administrative costs made worse by the coronavirus crisis.

The company said that it plans to continue its reform process so that it is able to meet its obligations under insolvency law. It added, “The company intends to adopt a well-thought-out and actionable financial plan to pay off its debts and meet its liabilities within reasonable legal periods and in agreement with creditors.”

The subsidiary of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim owns two integrated cement plants in the country. However, its Fuheis plant has been mothballed since the early 2010s. Its Rashadiyah plant has two production lines but one has been unused for over a decade and the other is reportedly operating at 40% of its capacity.

India: Star Cement has incorporated new subsidiaries in Assam and Meghalaya. It has set up Star Cement North East in Guwahati, Assam and Star Cement Lumshnong in Lumshnong, Meghalaya. Both business units are yet to start conducting operations. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has approved both incorporations.

India: Anjani Portland Cement has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire a majority stake in Bhavya Cements. Bhavya Cements recorded a net turnover of US$41.9m in its 2020 financial year. It operates a 1.4Mt/yr integrated plant at Tangeda in Andhra Pradesh.

Vietnam: Vicem recorded 9.72Mt of cement production in the first four months of 2021, up by 12% year-on-year from 8.67Mt in the first four months of 2021. The Viet Nam News newspaper has reported that the company is targeting 22.0Mt of cement in 2021, corresponding to a 1% rise year-on-year. Chair Bui Hong Minh said that the growth signals the success of Vicem’s coronavirus pandemic prevention measures at meeting their aim of maintained operational stability.