Global Cement News

Philippines: Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Ruth Castelo says that the government is considering implementing a suggested retail price (SRP) on cement. However, cement companies have previously resisted sharing information with the government to help it devise a SRP, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The DTI is considering publishing a SRP for cement due to consumer concerns about prices rises following newly introduced tariffs on imports. To do so it will need cement producer costs for labour, raw materials, fuels and logistics.

Pakistan: A slowdown in construction activity has reduced Cherat Cement’s sales. Its local cement sales volumes fell by 12% year-on-year to 0.90Mt in the half-year to 31 December 2018 from 1.03Mt in the same period in 2017. Its exports declined by 23% to 0.18Mt from 0.23Mt. The cement producer’s net turnover decreased by 7% to US$50.3m from US$54.3m. Its net profit fell by 24% to US$7.35m from US$9.65m. The cement producer noted that the price of coal had risen.

Cherat Cement said that it had commissioned a third line at its integrated plant during the reporting period. The new line has a clinker production capacity of 6700t/day and it includes a waste heat recovery unit. Following the upgrade, Cherat Cement’s plant has a production capacity of 4.5Mt/yr. The company also installed Wartsila dual fuel engines. These generators have been ordered in anticipation of the completion of new gas pipeline to the plant.

Pakistan: Rising coal prices have reduced the profit at Fecto Cement in the half-year to 31 December 2018. Its profit after tax nearly halved to US$0.75m from US$1.63m. Its net turnover rose slightly to US$17.8m. Local cement sales volumes dropped by 9% to 0.32Mt from 0.35Mt and exports declined by 33% to 29,500t from 44,300t.

Kenya: The East Africa Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) made a loss of US$12m in the half-year to 31 December 2018 compared to a loss of US$9.7m in the same period in 2017. It blamed the loss on a ‘difficult’ market and production issues, according to the Standard newspaper.

Cambodia: Chip Mong Insee Cement has commissioned a 9.8MW solar power system provided by Cleantech Solar. The system includes a 2.8MW floating solar power plant deployed on the plant’s reservoir and 7MW installed across multiple rooftops of the site. In addition, the deployment of the floating solar system will shield the reservoir from wind and the direct hot midday sun which is expected to reduce water loss through evaporation, contributing to Chip Mong Insee Cement’s water conservation efforts.

Cleantech Solar is a provider of renewable energy to companies in Southeast Asia and India. Based in Singapore, it owns and operates more than 120 solar power plants across the region, representing over 200MW of projects, with the majority in operation and the rest under construction and development.