Global Cement News

Italy: Buzzi Unicem’s sales rose by 21.7% year-on-year to Euro656m in the first quarter of 2019 from Euro539m in the same period in 2018. Its cement sales volumes grew by 16.9% to 6Mt and its ready-mixed concrete sales rose by 7.3% to 2.6Mm³. It attributed the gain in sales to improved weather in the reporting period. The group reported particular sales growth in Italy, the US and Germany.

Australia: Adelaide Brighton expects that its net profit in 2019 will fall by up to 15% year-on-year from the US$133m it reported in 2018. It forecasts that the decline will be driven by weakening demand from the residential market, increased competition from cement imports, higher competition in Queensland and rising raw material costs.

Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos plans to spend around US$50m on upgrading its 0.2Mt/yr grinding plant at Pecém in Ceará. It will increase the unit’s production capacity by 0.8Mt/yr. The official announcement was made during a meeting between Camilo Santana, the governor of Ceará, and the board of Votorantim.

Bolivia: Imports of cement fell by 30% year-on-year to 0.19Mt in 2018 from 0.27Mt in 2017. Data from the Bolivian Foreign Trade Institute and the National Institute of Statistics of Bolivia shows that cement imports were 0.51Mt in 2016, according to Hoy Bolivia. In 2018 Peru was the largest exporting country to Bolivia followed by Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. An increase in local production through the opening on new plants has contributed to the declining imports.

Uzbekistan: The Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan has proposed abolishing cement import benefits. It wants to prioritise local production, according to Esmerk CIS News.