Global Cement News

Russia: Eurocement has allocated Euro6.2m for the implementation of a new dedusting system at the Katavsky Cement plant in Chelyabinsk. The launch of the system, which was made by the Czech manufacturer ZVVZ, will reduce dust emissions by 33%.

Kyrgyzstan: A ground-breaking ceremony was held on 29 August 2014 at the site of a new cement plant in Kemin, Chui Province, about 13km east of the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. The plant, which is being constructed by Chinese investment, will cost around US$70m, according to Sun He, business counsellor with the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyz first vice prime minister Tayirbek Sarpashev said that he was confident that the cement plant would bring more jobs to Kemin and bring about tax revenues of between US$10m and US$15m each year upon completion.

Zhu Rongjun, general manager of ZETH-Cement, the Chinese investment subsidiary that is registered in Kyrgyzstan and the investor of the new cement plant, said that it would use advanced technology for production at the plant. Zhu added that the plant would start formal construction in 2014 and be completed and put into production within 15 months.

Malaysia: The net profit of YTL Corp, which operates in the cement, property and other sectors, increased by 2.6% to US$107m in the fourth quarter of its 2014 fiscal year, which ended on 30 June 2014. Revenue, however, fell by 9.6% to US$1.44bn.

For the full year to 30 June 2014, YTL's net profit rose by 20.8% to US$490m from US$400m. Revenue slipped over the year to US$6bn from US$6.33m in the 2013 fiscal year.

"Our cement, property development and investment and hotel divisions all registered good growth," said group managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh Sock Ping in a statement. Yeoh said the jump in net profit was mainly due to improvements in the group's cement business, along with its property and hospitality businesses.

Macedonia: Usje, part of Greece's Titan Cement, has announced that its net profit rose to Euro12.8m in the first half of 2014, a 28% improvement year-on-year compared to the first half of 2013. Usje's operating revenue increased by 15% to Euro32.5m in the same period, while operating costs rose by 5% to Euro21.2m.

Brazil: Apodi, owned by entrepreneurs Ivens Dias Branco (68%) and Juscelino Sarkis (32%), is to invest US$444m to set up a cement plant in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. It reportedly anticipates that the move will reinforce its stronghold in the north east of the country.

The new unit will have capacity for 5000t/day, adding to Apodi's two plants in Pecem and Quixada, Ceara state and expanding the company capacity to 10,000t/day in total.