Global Cement News
Search Cement News
Saudi Cement profit slumps 51.5% in first nine months of 2017 24 October 2017
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Cement Company has seen its profit drop by 56.9% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2017. Its net profit fell to US$23.2m from US$53.7m in the third quarter of 2017. The profit was 7.5% lower than the second quarter of 2017. Saudi Cement Company attributed the decrease to falling sales, the decline of the firm’s stake in net financial results of associate companies and a fall in other revenues.
During the first nine months of 2017 the company’s net profit was 51.5% down year-on-year, falling to US$92.3m compared to US$190.4m in the first nine months of 2016.
Ash Grove Cement stockholders approve acquisition by CRH 23 October 2017
US: The shareholders of Ash Grove Cement have approved its merger agreement with Ireland’s CRH. The decision follows a period of uncertainty about the sale to CRH when Summit Materials made a counter-bid for the company. Ash Grove subsequently extended its so-called ‘shop window’ consideration period to 20 October 2017. Following the shareholder approval, no further action is required by any Ash Grove shareholder to approve the merger agreement. The transaction is currently expected to close in late 2017 or early 2018, subject to regulatory approval.
Australia: Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has approved an application from Boral Cement to build a new 1.3Mt/yr cement grinding plant at Geelong in Melbourne, Victoria. The works will include an enclosed ball mill and covered store, covered belt conveyors, outdoor product stockpiles and several finished product storage and distribution silos at the site. Clinker will be unloaded from ships and delivered to the site via covered belt conveyors from Lascelles Wharf. The facility will operate 24-hours per day.
The EPA added that Boral Cement undertook community consultation prior to the submission of the application and during the public submission period.
Cementos Molins to move registered address to Madrid 23 October 2017
Spain: Cementos Molins is moving its registered address from the town of Sant Vicenc dels Horts in Catalonia, to Madrid. Sources quoted by the Expansión newspaper say it is due to the legal uncertainty in Catalonia. The company will continue to operate its cement plant in Sant Vicenc dels Horts but the publicly traded company and the group's holding, through which it channels its foreign investments, will be moved.
The Catalan regional government approved an independence referendum held in early October 2017. The central Spanish government rules it illegal and has moved to impose direct rule on the region.
Delays announced to new mills at Arabian Cement Company 23 October 2017
Saudi Arabia: The Arabian Cement Company (ACC) says that the construction of new cement mills at its Rabigh plant has been delayed to the third quarter of 2018 from the fourth quarter of 2017. The delay has been blamed on, “…the contractor's failure to comply with the timetable.” The second-phase of the project, to build a new clinker production line, is under review. The cement mill order was placed with China National Building Material (CNBM) in 2015.