Global Cement News

Nigeria: China based Sinoma International Engineering has signed a US$585m contract to build an integrated cement plant at Itori in Ogun state. The plant will have two 6000t/day clinker production lines covering limestone crushing to cement packaging and shipping. The contract becomes effective once Sinoma International Engineering receives a geological survey, payment and performance guarantees and a 12% advance payment. Clinker production is scheduled for two years after the contract starts with final commissioning expected a few months later.

Dangote Cement’s Itori Cement subsidiary was established in 2016 at the same time work started on building the 6Mt/yr Okpella plant in Edo state. The Okpella plant started producing cement in 2021.

Iran: The Iranian Cement Industry Employers Association (CIEA) has warned that 50 cement plants are ‘on the verge of closure’ in early 2023. Asia News has reported that plants’ electricity supply has dropped by 50%, while their gas supply has dropped by 80%. Low winter temperatures have diverted the utilities supplies towards heating homes. Cement producers outside of urban areas are licensed to use fuel oil to power their operations. This would increase their costs, however, due to high transport fees.

Qatar: Qatar National Cement Company (QNCC) recorded full-year sales of US$195m in 2022, down by 14% year-on-year from US$226m in 2021. The producer recorded a net profit for the year of US$62.4m, up by 1.2% from US$61.7m.

US: Cemex has ordered a type 10 000 S mobile ship unloader from Sweden-based Bruks Siwertell for use at Belle Chasse in Louisiana. The ship unloader was delivered towards the end of 2022, has a continuous rated cement handling capacity of 300t/hr and can discharge vessels up to 10,000dwt.

Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement has started using electricity generated from biomass to power its head office in the Shiodome Sumitomo Building in Tokyo. The electricity is generated at the company’s company's Tochigi biomass power plant in Sano and then fed into the general grid. The cement producer and the country are using a feed-in-tariff (FIT) non-fossil energy certificate system to track the use of electricity generated from non-fossil fuel generated sources.