Global Cement News

Peru: Cementos Pacasmayo’s sales revenue grew by 7.5% year-on-year to US$184m in the first half of 2018 from US$171m in the same period in 2017. Its production of cement rose by 3.9% to 1.08Mt from 1.04Mt and clinker production rose by 15.9% to 0.87Mt from 0.75Mt. Its consolidated earnings before interest taxation depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 12.2% to US$54.7m from US$48.7m.

The cement producer said that, despite growth, it felt that the pace was lower than its expectations. Infrastructure reconstruction in the north of the country had suffered delays and self-construction has grown at lower rates than expected. It party blamed this on the country’s qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup as funding was focused on ‘soccer-related categories.’

Colombia: Cemex Colombia has been fined US$429,000 for taking groundwater from the Tunjuelo River without permission. The sanction of the District Department of the Environment of Bogotá imposed the penalty, according to the La Republica newspaper. However, the settlement exonerated Cemex of causing any environmental damage. The company says it does not plan to file any legal appeal for the sanction.

Georgia: HeidelbergCement Georgia plans to close a kiln at its Rustavi cement plant due to imports from Iran. It will also reduce production at the Dedoplitskaro limestone quarry, according to GBC Daily News. The Georgian Cement Association has lobbied the government to enact anti-dumping measures against Iranian imports.

Russia: The management of Gornozavodskcement is looking for a co-investor to upgrade its cement plant to a dry production method. Previously the company had conducted negotiations with Ireland’s CRH over the upgrade but these have been abandoned, according to Construction and Real Estate Daily News. The cement producer operates a plant near Perm.

India: Orient Cement plans to upgrade its Devapur in Adilabad District, Telangana. It will invest US$290m towards more than doubling the unit’s cement production capacity to 7.5Mt/yr from 3Mt/yr, according to the Press Trust of India. The cement producer obtained first stage clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to expand the existing integrated cement plant. However, final clearance from the Ministry is still awaited.