Italy: Buzzi Unicem’s net sales rose by 2.4% year-on-year to Euro2.87bn in 2018 from Euro2.81bn in 2017. Its cement and clinker sales volumes increased by 4.3% to 27.9Mt from 26.8Mt. Ready-mix concrete sales fell by 3.6% to 11.8Mm³ from 12.3Mm³.

It attributed cement and clinker sales increase to acquisitions in Italy and Germany and good market conditions in the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia. However, poor weather hampered business in the US and a ‘strong’ decrease in business levels was reported in Ukraine. In Italy the cement producer benefited from its acquisition of Cementizillo in the second half of 2017. In Germany it purchased Seibel & Söhne and noted demand for oil well cements.

Cambodia: Siam Cement Group’s (SCG) sales in Cambodia grew by 15% year-on-year to US$396m in 2018 due to higher sales of cement. The Thai company operates six subsidiaries in the country, including Kampot Cement, according to the Phnom Penh Post newspaper. Chiv Sivpheng, general manager of the Cambodia Constructors Association, said that demand for construction materials had been increasing annually as the population increases and urbanisation intensifies.

Japan: Sumitomo Osaka’s sales have risen but national exports have fallen. The cement producer has starting promoting exports to counteract this trend. Its sales revenue rose by 4% year-on-year to US$1.71bn in the nine months to 31 December 2018 from US$1.65bn in the same period in 2017. Its operating profit fell by 27% to US$91.9m from US$125m. The company said that local cement demand grew by 1.3% to 32.5Mt in the reporting period. However, exports fell by 12.8%. Overall, national cement sales volumes decreased by 1.6% to 40.3Mt.

Kyrgyzstan: Shukhrat Sabirov, the head of the State Antimonopoly agency, has reported to parliament that South Kyrgyz Cement was fined for selling exported cement at a price lower than it sells cement locally. The official made the comment in response to questions from a member of parliament, according to Kyrgyzstan Newsline.