India: JK Lakshmi Cement resumed dispatches of cement as usual from its Durg cement plant in Chhattisgarh on 19 October 2021. India InfoLine News has reported that this followed the ending of a strike by the Chhattisgarh Cement Transport Association (CTA) on 18 October 2021.
The company said “The illegal strike called by the CTA has since been called off by them. It is hoped that normality will be restored shortly.”
India: ACC's third-quarter sales in the 2022 financial year were US$501m, up by 6% year-on-year from US$472m in the third quarter of the 2021 financial year.Its cement sales were 6.57Mt, up by 1.2% from 6.49Mt, while its costs rose by 5.3% to US$428m from US$406m. Press Trust of India News has reported that the company's net profit in the quarter rose by 24% to US$60.1m. The company attributed its 'solid' quarterly performance to its focus on sustainability while meeting customers' needs.
Managing director and chief executive officer Sridhar Balakrishnan said "Despite a steep increase in fuel costs, our cost efficiency measures under Project Parvat have enabled us to maintain robust performance." Regarding the full-year outlook, he added "We are positive that the cement sector will benefit from increasing demand in various sectors such as housing, commercial and industrial construction."
Cameroon: Cimenteries du Cameroun has begun building a new US$88.4m 0.5Mt/yr line at its 0.15Mt/yr Figuil cement plant. Agence Ecofin News has reported that the line is scheduled for commissioning in October 2023. It will have an additional clinker capacity of 0.1Mt/yr. When commissioned, the expanded plant will serve northern Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic, and bring the company's total cement capacity to 2.5Mt/yr.The LafargeHolcim Maroc Afrique subsidiary, in which the Cameroon National Investment Company (SNI) holds a minority stake, aims to compete with market leader Dangote Cement in Cameroon.
Philippines: Big Boss Cement has reportedly suspended business operations until 2022. An unnamed source at the company quoted by the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper said that the company is ‘rehabilitating’ its facilities. It added that the company is using a lull in business to make changes.
The company was set up by SM Group heir Henry Sy Jr in 2018. It opened a grinding plant at Porac in Pampanga, Luzon in 2018 and commissioned a third mill at the site in late 2020. Notably the unit manufactures its own secondary cementitious material, which it calls Granulated Activated Sand by Heating, as well as importing clinker and other raw materials.
