Global Cement News
Search Cement News
Italy: Buzzi Unicem's offer to buy local Sacci has expired after being rejected by the banks and creditors. Buzzi is no longer bound to any commitment. Buzzi Unicem filed a binding offer in March 2015 to acquire 99.5% of Sacci for Euro120m, planning to fund the deal with available cash and/or existing credit facilities. Sacci has been undergoing debt restructuring under Italy's bankruptcy act. The deal was subject to approval by the anti-trust authority and the banks and creditors involved in the debt restructuring of Sacci.
Cemex opens US$67 cement mill in Cebu 05 May 2015
Philippines: Cemex Philippines has recently completed a US$67.3m cement mill at its Apo cement plant in Naga, Cebu as part of its comprehensive expansion plan in the country. The mill increases the capacity of the Cemex Apo plant by 1.5Mt/yr and Cemex's production capacity in the Philippines by 40%.
"We in Cemex are proud improving the standards of life of the people, proud of producing and distributing valuable products and services and doing it in a way that has a positive impact to our communities," said Pedro Palomino, Cemex Philippines president. Aside from the cement mill in Cebu, Cemex Philippines has also finished the construction of new marine distribution terminals located in Manila, Iloilo and Davao amounting to a total of US$22.4m.
US/Canada: Lafarge and Holcim have received final approval for their proposed merger from the competition authorities in the US and Canada. All competition approvals necessary for closing the transaction have now been obtained ahead of the expected closing in July 2015.
Following the regulatory assessment in all key jurisdictions, Holcim and Lafarge can now present a final list of divestments to satisfy regulatory requirements. These divestments remain subject to the completion of the merger, including a successful public exchange offering to Lafarge's shareholders and approval by Holcim's shareholders.
Eurocement supports LafargeHolcim merger 01 May 2015
Russia: Eurocement has publically supported the merger between Lafarge and Holcim. In a statement the Russian producer and minority shareholder in Holcim said that it found the development potential of the merged company 'very positive'.
In late March 2015 Eurocement announced that it planned to vote against the LafargeHolcim merger unless the financial terms of the deal were altered. Subsequently in mid-April 2015, it then proposed its chairman Filaret Galchev to the board of directors of LafargeHoclim but Holcim said the proposal was submitted too late to be considered. Eurocement owns a 10.82% stake in Holcim.
Philippines: Holcim Philippines has targeted an investment of US$40m over a three-year period to increase cement production capacity. Despite strong domestic demand for cement, revenue fell by 10% in the first quarter of 2015 due to rising costs.
The investment will mainly finance the 'debottlenecking' of existing facilities by bringing production capacity up to 10Mt/yr by 2017, according to Eduardo A Sahagun, president and chief executive officer of Holcim Philippines, in a briefing to local press. At present the cement producer has a production capacity of 8.2Mt/yr. Around 65% of the investment will go towards maintenance of existing facilities. Holcim Philippines remains committed to developing a brownfield cement plant in Norzagaray, Bulacan subject to the approval of the company's head office in Switzerland.
Sahagun blamed the fall in revenue on expensive clinker imports from Vietnam intended to support the market. Despite this the company expects annual profits for 2015 to exceed those in 2014.