Global Cement News

Sri Lanka: Work on a Thatta Cement project in Sri Lanka has ended because the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has not yet executed the Land Lease Agreement (LLA). Basic engineering for the cement grinding, storing and bagging plant has been completed but the project has been suspended pending legal issues.

Thatta Cement secretary Taha Hamdani has complained to capital market regulators about the SLPA also signing an agreement with another company whose operational area lies close to its cement project. It appears to obstruct setting up of the cement project within the layout originally planned by the SLPA. The company officials say further progress on the project would recommence 'as soon as LLA is signed with SLPA'.

Philippines: Cement sales rose by 8.6% in the first quarter of 2014. The surge was largely driven by rebuilding following the destruction wrought by typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, according to the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CEMAP). Cement producers sold 5.2Mt of cement in the first quarter of 2014 compared to 4.8Mt in the same period in 2013.

"The increase was primarily due to reconstruction efforts following super-typhoon Haiyan," said CEMAP president Ernesto Ordoñez in a phone interview with local media. He added that rebuilding is likely to drive cement sales for 'more than a year' and that private sector confidence was also helping sales.

Following typhoon Haiyan the government of the Philippines raised its budget for infrastructure in 2014 by 37% to US$9bn from US$6.6bn in 2013 to provide for rehabilitation and reconstruction in areas affected by the typhoon. In 2013 sales by the local cement industry grew by 6% to 19.4Mt/yr from 18.4Mt/yr in 2012.

Turkey: Bursa Çimento Fabrikası has started the commercial operation of its 7.5MW waste heat recovery system. The Euro14.3m system was put into operation following a successful test operation, according to Bursa Çimento. The plant can generate some 50MkWh of electricity from waste heat and save some 28,000t/yr of carbon dioxide emissions.

Egypt: Omar A Mohanna, Chairman of Suez Cement, has announced that the company intends to alter its energy mix to use 20% of its energy from waste recycling and 80% from coal during 2014. He added that the Ministry of Environmental affairs has not announced its position on the use of coal, according to AlAhram News. Previous energy supply shortages have reduced production at Suez Cement to 50%.

In related news, the CEO of the Misr Beni Suef Cement Company revealed that his company has received an official letter from the Egyptian government informing the company that the natural gas supply to their facilities will be completely cut in May 2014. The letter added that the government will supply enough Mazut to the company to operate one production line.

Ukraine: Mykolaivcement has reported a loss of US$5.47m in 2013. Its revenue fell by 10% to US$46.6m from US$5.28m in 2012. In 2012 Mykolaivcement reported a loss of US$5.79m according to the Ukranian News agency.

The cement producer based in Mykolaiv, Lviv region also makes paving slabs and facade tiles, concrete, pavestone and other construction materials. In April 2013 Cement Roadstone Holdings held talks with Lafarge on the acquisition of the company. Lafarge Ukraine Holding owns 99.26% of shares in the factory.