Global Cement News

Tajikistan: Tajikcement, the largest cement plant in Tajikistan, has stopped production due to a shortage of natural gas according to a report from the Avesta news agency.

"Natural gas is the main fuel for the factory. Partial interruption in the supply of gas caused a decrease in cement production. The factory produced 190,500t of cement in January to November 2012, which is a 60,000t decrease compared to the same period in 2011," said a source quoted by Avesta. He added that gas supplies to the plant in Dushanbe have been interrupted several times in 2012.

Saydakhmad Sharofutdinov, the head of the Tajiktransgas the nation's gas importing company, said that the thermal power plant in Dushanbe was the largest consumer of natural gas in Tajikistan, receiving 100,000m3/day.

Azerbaijan: Norm has announced that the 2Mt/yr Gizildash cement plant will start operation in the last quarter of 2013.

"With a cement production capacity of 2Mt/yr it will not only the largest in the region, but also the only plant producing API standard cement," said Norm's general director Hasan Yalcinkaya. Yalchinkaya added that the plant will hire 400 people, with another 100-150 people to be engaged in mining.

Brazil: Brazil's biggest cement producer, Votorantim Cimentos, is preparing an initial public offer (IPO) to raise US$3bn.

Votorantim is looking to acquire new assets in North America, Africa and South America. The proceeds from the IPO, the biggest for Brazil since Banco Santander Brasil in 2009, would go into funding its expansion plans.

The cement unit of Brazil's Grupo Votorantim, controlled by the Ermirio de Moraes family, completed a swap of its 21.2% stake in Cimpor Cimentos de Portugal in June 2012. Votorantim Cimentos has hired Banco Itau BBAand JPMorgan Chase & Co to manage the deal and will include other banks.

Thailand/Guatemala: Holcim Ltd has reduced its shareholding in Siam City Cement Company Ltd (SCCC) from 36.8% to 27.5%. The shares have been purchased by Bangkok Broadcasting and Television, a Ratanarak Group company, which will increase its shareholding in SCCC to 47%.

Elsewhere, Holcim has sold its 20% in Cementos Progreso SA to its majority shareholder, Grupo Cemcal SA Progreso, which owns a cement plant in San Miguel with an annual capacity of 3Mt/yr.

For the sale of these two share packages, which is part of the Holcim Leadership Journey, Holcim has received approximately US$410m.

India: Reuters is reporting that the French cement giant Lafarge is in talks with private equity and financial firms to sell a 20-15% stake in its Indian unit, Lafarge India Pvt Ltd, which encompasses four cement plants, for about US$300m. It could also sell 100% of its Indian unit if a 'strategic' buyer is found.

With a capacity of 7.75Mt/yr across Lafarge India's plants, a US$1.2bn valuation of the assets gives an approximate asking price of US$154/t of installed capacity.

If Lafarge finds a buyer the move will continue a recent series of cement asset sales, notably in the US and the UK.