Global Cement News

Dominican Republic: Cementos Argos has launched new branding under the tagline of 'imagine all we can build together.' Gary De la Rosa, chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, said that it would enhance the value the company offered to its customers, according to the Hoy newspaper. The Colombian company operates two ready-mix concrete plants and a cement grinding plant in the country.

Bolivia: Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia’s (ECEBOL) new integrated cement plant at Caracollo in Oruro has been inaugurated. President Evo Morales attended the event for the 1.3Mt/yr plant, according to the Correo del Sur newspaper. The project had an investment of US$306m and it was built by a consortium of Sacyr, Imasa and Polysius.

Italy: Buzzi Unicem sales revenue grew by 13.6% year-on-year to Euro1.52bn in the first half of 2019 from Euro$1.34bn in the same period in 2019. Its net profit rose by 27% to Euro135m from Euro123m. Its cement sales volumes increased by 7.1% to 13.9Mt from 12.9Mt but ready-mixed concrete sales fell slightly to 5.8Mm³.

The building materials producer said that ‘lively’ activity levels in the US had driven its sales so far in 2019. This was mainly caused by falling imports in the face of weak domestic demand and ‘considerable production and logistical difficulties’ in June 2019 caused by flooding of the Mississippi river. A slight recovery in Italy was also noted with growing cement sales volumes and strengthening prices. Elsewhere, growth was recorded in most territories apart from Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

India: Birla Corporation says it has increased its sales revenue through ‘aggressive’ pricing, up-selling customers to premium brands and focusing on the independent home building market. Its sales revenue grew by 14% year-on-year to US$267m in the quarter to 30 June 2019 from US$236m in the same period in 2018. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 49% to US$57m from US$38.3m. Its sales volumes of cement increased by 4% to 3.6Mt from 3.5Mt. The cement producer says it had a production capacity utilisation rate of 98% during the reporting period.

South Korea: SsangYong Cement Industrial’s sales revenue rose by 5.9% year-on-year to US$626m in the first half of 2019 from US$591m in the same period in 2018. Its net profit grew by 26% to US$58.1m from US$56.3m. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 17.1% to US$151m from US$129m.