Global Cement News

Switzerland: Cement deliveries grew by 3% year-on-year to 1.22Mt in the second quarter of 2018 from 1.19Mt in the same period in 2017. Deliveries for the first half of the year grew slightly to 2.06Mt according to the CemSuisse.

Pakistan: Cement despatches rose by 15% year-on-year to 23.7Mt in the first half of 2018 from 20.5Mt in the same period in 2017. All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers' Association (APCMA) data showed that despatches in the north of the country rose by 13% to 17.5Mt and in the south they grew by 7% to 3.8Mt. However, despatches in the south fell by 13% year-on-year to 4.2Mt in June 2018.

Cameroon: Engineering Construction Manufacturing and Trading plans to build a new 0.5Mt/yr cement plant. The project has an investment of US$27m, according to the Agence de Presse Africaine. The local company has signed an agreement with the Investment Promotion Agency to build the plant. It enables it to receive customs and tax breaks as part of the deal.

Africa: The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to help Dangote Cement’s production capacity to expand 27.5Mt/yr by 2030. The Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN) made the forecast as part of a report on the potential benefits of the free trade area, according to this This Day newspaper. The report follows a meeting of the African Union in Mauritania in late June 2018. It used the cement industry as a case study for the benefits of the free trade arrangement.

Saudi Arabia: Cement sales revenue is expected to fall quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter of 2018 due to restructuring in the industry and holidays in the period. A report by Al Rajhi Capital found that cement sales volumes fell by 16.7% year-on-year in April and May 2018. 15 cement companies reported falling sales volumes, led by Riyadh Cement and Cement City with 44.1% and 37.5% declines respectively. Only two companies, Tabuk Cement and Hail Cement, reported growth. Total inventory for the industry grew by 1.2% quarter-on-quarter to around 36.2Mt at the end of May 2018. The financial services company forecasts that revenue in the cement sector will fall by 6% year-on-year.