Global Cement News

Colombia: Cementos Argos’ says its sales volumes in the first half of 2020 were affected by coronavirus-related lockdown measures in Colombia and some countries of Central America and the Caribbean. These markets have since recovered gradually as quarantine measures were eased. Its revenue fell by 4.6% year-on-year to US$1.14bn in the first half of 2020 from 1.20bn in the same period in 2019. Cement and ready-mixed concrete (RMC) sales volumes declined by 15% to 6.79Mt and 19.9% to 4.05Mm³ respectively. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) dropped by 9.5% to US$200m.

“These results were driven mainly by the firm commitment of our employees in implementing the health and safety protocols and the saving initiatives contained within RESET (restart safe and healthy), together with the better-than-expected market dynamics particularly in the US and some of our markets in the Caribbean,” said Juan Esteban Calle, the group’s chief executive officer (CEO).

By region the group reported growing RMC sales and earnings, both on an adjusted basis, in the US in the second quarter of 2020. Cement volumes fell in the country, mainly due to lower cement sales volumes in the Northeast region, due to lockdown measures and reduced demand from the wholesale segment. In Colombia a complete national lockdown from the start of the second quarter reduced sales significantly. A mixed picture was presented in the Caribbean and Central America due to differences in government lockdown policy although overall sales and earnings were down.

Russia: Eurocement Group’s exports rose by 67% year-on-year to 0.33Mt in the first seven months of 2020 from 0.20Mt in the same period in 2019. Deliveries to the Belarus, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Kazakhstan have grown significantly. The group says it managed this despite coronavirus-related lockdowns with construction project suspensions in many markets.

Portugal: Cimpor has won a contract to supply cement for a new 80km railway line linking Elvas to Évora. It expects to delivery up to 0.14Mt of cement for the project, according to the Dinheiro Vivo newspaper. Cement will be supplied from its Alhandra integrated plant and ready-mixed concrete from other sites. The project is expected to be completed in early 2023.

Australia: Adelaide Brighton says its sites in Victoria can continue to operate during coronavirus-related lockdown measures that have been implemented until mid-September 2020. It said it would work with its customers, “to assess their requirements for construction materials and modify production levels in response to demand.” The company operates a jointly-owned cement grinding plant in Melbourne as well as concrete and aggregate units in the state.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement is starting large-scale recycling of large lithium-ion batteries at its integrated Tsuruga plant. It has been developing the process with Matsuda Sangyo since 2011 using exhaust gases from clinker production as part of dismantling, crushing and sorting processes to extract precious metals from the batteries. Taiheiyo Cement, its subsidiary Tsuruga Cement and Matsuda Sangyo started a recycling business in April 2020 following certification by the Japan Auto Recycling Partnership (JARP).