Greece: Titan Cement has reported net losses after tax of Euro16.3m in the first quarter of 2020, up by 122% year-on-year from Euro7.34m in the first quarter of 2019. Revenue also increased, by 6.1% year-on-year to Euro385m from Euro363m. Titan Cement said, “Since mid-March 2020 the outbreak of the coronavirus had a significant, although unevenly distributed, impact on demand for our products. The early impact of the pandemic on our sector was less severe than what was initially feared. Construction has been deemed to be an essential service in most markets and all our cement plants continued their operations, adjusting their production to satisfy the current level of demand.”

Sweden: The Committee for European Construction Equipment (CECE) and the Swedish Association for Construction Equipment (SACE) have announced that the CECE Congress will take place on 8 October 2020 via livestream from Stockholm. CECE said, “In the world of digitalisation, acknowledging the unprecedented situation that the COVID-19 outbreak has imposed on Europe, we present to you a digital CECE Congress.” CECE said that the event would be of interest to anyone involved in the cement industry. Attendance is free of charge.

Germany: ThyssenKrupp has reported a first-half net loss before tax for the fiscal year 1 October 2019 – 30 September 2020 of Euro743m compared to a profit of Euro45.0m for the first half of the previous fiscal year. Net sales fell by 3.0% year-on-year to Euro19.8bn from Euro20.4bn. The period brought a medium-sized cement line order from the US and a low-CO₂ calcined clays cement plant order from Cameroon. As a result of the coronavirus crisis, ThyssenKrupp has cut 3000 jobs on a short-to medium-term basis.

ThyssenKrupp chief financial officer (CFO) Klaus Keysburg said, “Irrespective of the current difficult environment, we are convinced that the Steel Strategy 2030 is the right response to the enormous challenges facing the steel sector.”

UK: Cemex has announced the proposed mothballing of the 0.8Mt/yr South Ferriby integrated plant in Lincolnshire. It says that the move would lead to the redundancy of all staff employed at the plant except cement delivery drivers in the third quarter of 2020. A review of the optimal haulage provision will follow. Cemex says that the proposal is the outcome of ‘an analysis of the company’s European cement supply chain.’ Its final decision will follow ‘a process of collective consultation with affected employees.’ It says that the decision was unaffected by the coronavirus outbreak.

The group said that, “Cemex remains committed to the UK and its European business.” It added that the mothballing of the South Ferriby plant will ‘optimise the network it has available across the region.’ Cemex will continue to supply customers from its existing cement network, maintaining customer service and ‘high-quality products in line with customer expectations.’ Its strategic growth will focus on ‘larger metropolitan markets where demand and profitability will be strongest.’