Global Cement News

Armenia: The Armenian parliament has agreed to establish a customs duty of Euro22/t for cement and Euro3/t for clinker on imports from Iran and other countries. The government had initially hoped to imposed Euro39/t and Euro14/t on cement and clinker respectively but this was declined by the legislative body, according to the ArmInfo News Agency. Imported cement will also be recognised as licensed. The new bill will come into effect in July 2021.

A previous customs duty of Euro22/t imports of Iranian cement was set up in mid-2019. However, Iranian cement imports were then banned at the start of 2021. Production by local producers grew in 2020 and imports fell.

India: Grasim Industries’ full-year consolidated net sales rose by 2% year-on-year to US$10.5bn in its 2021 financial year from US$10.3bn in the 2020 financial year. The profit attributable to owners of the company was US$591m, down by 3% from US$606m. Cement sales rose by 5% to US$6.15bn from US$5.83bn.

India: Ramco Cements reported consolidated net sales of US$731m in its 2021 financial year, down by 2% year-on-year from US$745m in its 2020 financial year. Cement sales volumes fell by 11% to 9.98Mt from 11.2Mt. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 34% to US$218m from US$162m. The company said that cement markets had shrunk in the south due the coronavirus pandemic but they grew in the east. It added that it was complying with state government mandated public health lockdowns, which were introduced in May 2021, on a regional basis.

India: The India Cements recorded full-year consolidated net sales of US$619m in the 2021 financial year, down by 13% year-on-year from US$712m. Cement sales volumes fell by 19% to 8.9Mt from 11Mt, which it blamed on production overcapacity in the south of the country. Its profit after taxes, minority interests and share of profit of associates was US$28.6m, more than triple the figure for the 2020 financial year of US$7.34m. The cement producer warned that, despite an economic recovery following the first wave of coronavirus, it expected an uncertain outlook with the current second wave of the epidemic.

China: China National Building Material has amended the funding arrangements for an upcoming joint venture of its subsidiaries China United Cement and Henan Investment Group. Reuters has reported that China United Cement will now contribute US$937m to the joint venture’s registered capital, while Henan Investment Group will contribute US$622m.