Thailand: Sales from Siam Cement Group’s (SCG) cement business rose by 6% year-on-year to US$5.61bn in 2021. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 13% to US$145m. The company said that demand for cement improved gradually in the fourth quarter of 2021 following Covid-19 related shutdowns in the third quarter. Overall group sales were US$16.5bn in 2021, up by 33%, and net profit rose by 38% to US$1.4bn, boosted by the company chemicals division performance.

President and chief executive officer Roongrote Rangsiyopash said that its integration of environmental and social governance, along with a digital transformation, during the year contributed towards growth, along with a demand rise in line with the decline in Covid-19’s ongoing impacts.

US: Eco Materials Technologies has finalised its US$1.05bn acquisition of Boral’s US fly ash business and launched an oversubscribed US$525m green bond issue. The issue will help it to become a global green cement production leader, according to the group. The Australian Financial Review newspaper has reported that subscriptions were four times the available bonds.

Thailand: Siam City Cement's (SCC) sales, volumes and earnings picked up in the second half of 2021 following the easing of Covid-19-related lockdown measures in Thailand and Vietnam. Price rises, especially outside of Thailand, also reportedly helped to compensate for higher raw material, energy and transportation costs.

The group’s full-year consolidated sales fell slightly to US$1.28bn in 2021 from US$1.29bn in 2020. Sales revenue from its cement division rose by 3% year-on-year to US$842m but dropped by 19% to US$166m from its concrete division. Its overall earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) dropped by 6.8% to US$289m from US$310m. Net profit rose by 15.4% to US$131m from US$113m.

South Africa: A fuel tank explosions at a cement facility on Neptune Road in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), which Global Cement believes may be Cemza’s Coega grinding plant, has killed a 40-year-old worker. Algoa FM News has reported that there were no other casualties or injuries. Police have launched an inquest into the tragic incident.