Global Cement News

Malaysia: Yeoh Khoon Cheng has resigned as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Lafarge Malaysia. He will remain as the group’s executive director, according to the Edge Malaysia.

Several executives of YTL Corporation have been appointed to Lafarge Malaysia’s board. YTL’s executive chairman Francis Yeoh and managing director Yeoh Seok Kian have been made executive directors of Lafarge Malaysia. Other members of the Yeoh family appointed to Lafarge Malaysia’s board as executive directors are Yeoh Soo Keng and Yeoh Seok Hong. In addition, Lafarge Malaysia’s vice-chairman Martin Kriegner and non-independent and non-executive director John William Stull and Pei Ling have resigned.

Chad: Société Nationale de Ciment du Tchad (SONACIM) has appointed Fatchou Etienne as its Deputy Director General, according to the Al Widha newspaper. The government-owned company operates a 0.21Mt/yr cement plant at Baor.

Ireland: Ecocem Ireland has appointed Annemarie Harte as managing director of its Irish business. She succeeds Micheál McKittrick, who is moving to a new post as Ecocem’s managing director for Northern Europe with the responsibility for the Irish, UK and Benelux markets.

Harte was previously the chief executive officer (CEO) of Hardware Association Ireland, a representative body for hardware and DIY retailers, builders merchants, and manufacturers and distributors. She has also held a number of other senior roles, including consultant with the Royal Life Saving Society, CEO of Rotary International and manager of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Chamber of Commerce.

Belarus/Moldova/Russia/Ukraine: The Ukrainian interdepartmental commission for international trade has imposed antidumping tariffs on imported clinker and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) from Russia, Belarus and Moldova. It has set duties of 115% for goods originating in Russia, 57% for goods from Belarus and 94% for goods from Moldova, according to Interfax. The tariffs will have a duration of five years. Previously the government had embargoed OPC, alumina, slag, sulphate-resistant cement and similar hydraulic cements, including clinkers, from Russia.

Philippines: Data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shows that imports of cement rose by 64% year-on-year to 1.74Mt in the first quarter of 2019 despite the introduction of a 4% tariff in January 2019. Imports were 1.06Mt in the same period in 2018, according to the Philippines News Agency. The production capacity utilisation factor of local producers is also reported to have fallen. The DTI says it will continue to monitor the situation.