Global Cement News

Mozambique: The National Inspectorate of Economic Activities (INAE) says that all cement producers must include an expiry date on cement packaging. The decision follows a study looking at the production, labelling, sale and transport of cement, according to the Mozambique News Agency. The ruling applies to both locally produced and imported cement.

INAE has requested that any cement should be sold at least three weeks prior to its expiry date. It is intended to give consumers consistent information about the date of production, the type of cement, the quality and the price. The central government agency is also hosting talks with local government to help provide warehouse space to distributors and retailers selling cement. It aims to stop the sale of cement on the street.

New Zealand: Fletcher Building says that its Golden Bay Cement plant in Auckland was forced stop its cement mill for four weeks in September 2018. It said it had insurance to cover this but that its earnings for its 2019 financial year are likely to be impacted by up to US$8m. Generally, the building materials producer reported that, until the end of October 2018, its business in New Zealand had been flat. In Australia it is facing ‘challenging’ conditions with growing input prices and a slowing residential sector.

Philippines: Cemex Philippines is facing legal action in relation to the quarry operations of its subsidiary in Naga following a landslide that killed nearly 80 people in September 2018. It said that it had received a summons order for the class suit along with its subsidiary APO Cement, according to the BusinessWorld newspaper. The defendants also include APO Land & Quarry, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office VII, the City Government of Naga and the Province of Cebu. The lawsuit is attempting to seek damages of up to US$80m on environmental grounds on relation to the quarry.

Pakistan: The Peshawar High Court has temporarily ordered Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGP) not to charge Lucky Cement a higher price for gas. The cement producer took legal action against the supplier, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the Ministry of Energy following a price increase of 142% in October 2018, according to the Dawn newspaper. The court has asked OGRA to respond to questions about the price rise. Lawyers on behalf of the Lucky Cement argue that the increase in the cost of gas was taken without following the normal legal requirements.

Chile: Cementos Melon has completed a US$25m upgrade to its Puerto Montt grinding plant. The expansion has doubled its production capacity to 0.6Mt/yr from 0.3Mt/yr, according to the Diario Financiero. The project is intended to meet growing demand for cement in the south of the country.