Cement News tagged: International
Egypt: IDA to allow cement producers to pay licenses in installments
The Industrial Development Authority (IDA) is allowing the three winners of last week's cement production license auction to pay license fees in annual instalments, Al Mal reports. A source at the IDA said that the companies will receive their letters of guarantee in full once they begin production and would until then be paid back in tranches of EGP50m as they complete each phase of constru...
Egypt: South Valley Cement discusses new Beni Suef line
Ahmed El-Mekati, board member of South Valley Cement Company (SVCC), has said the company is looking into the investment cost of a new 1.5Mta production line, as the cost of importing the production line’s components has increased with the EGP’s flotation. SVCC is due to hold a meeting this month to discuss the launch of the new line and study available financing options. It is compare the ...
Namibia: Ohorongo composite plant inaugurated
Cornelia Shilunga, Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, inaugurated the composite cement plant at the Ohorongo Cement plant this week in Otavi. Ohorongo Cement also constructed a third packaging line at the facility. “Being the largest foreign direct investment in Namibia, Ohorongo is setting the bar high for future investors in terms of execution, standard and quality for all value additio...
Chile's changing market
This week Cementos Bio Bio announced its 9M16 profits had been hard hit by foreign exchange rates and a similar story was given by Cemento Polpaico, even though it quadrupled its new profits YoY. But beyond these recent results, the industry is embarking on a period of significant transition. Chile's cement market recorded its lowest sales growth in 1H16, reaching US$514bn as Cementos Melo...
Egyptian government announces award of three new plant licences
The Egyptian Industrial Development Authority has today announced that three firms have been successful in their bids to build new cement plants, local media reports. The licences, which will permit the construction of new integrated works with between 1.5 and 2.0Mta capacity, were awarded to El Sewedy Cement, South Valley Cement and a third firm, identified in the article as Egyptian Cemen...
India: Lafarge Surma mine to expand production
Bangladeshi cement manufacturer Lafarge Surma Cement (LafargeHolcim Group) has received environmental clearance from the Indian government for its mining company to more than double its limestone production capacity to 5.5Mta. Lafarge Umiam Mining, a fully-owned subsidiary of Lafarge Surma based in Meghalaya on the Bangladesh border, currently has clearance to produce and transport 2.2Mta o...
Kenya: Dangote seeks limestone on east coast
Dangote Group has expressed interest in prospecting for limestone in Malindi, 120km northeast of Mombasa. The group plans to explore limestone deposits in Kwachocha, Kijiwetanga Kizingo, Mbaraka Chembe and Mayungu, said Dan Kazungu, Mining Cabinet Secretary. Mr Kazungu announced that the ministry is processing a licence to allow the exploration works. The ministry will set up a regional min...
Nigeria: UNICEM Mfamosing's second line commissioned
United Cement Co of Nigeria (UNICEM) commissioned its new line at Mfamosing, Cross River State, in September 2016. Loesche has since announced its scope of supply for the project, including the LM70.4+4CS, its largest VRM built for grinding clinker. With a pre-existing 2.5Mta capacity, UNICEM contracted Loesche to extend the plant with a further two vertical roller mills. A type LM60.4 mill...
Pakistan: cement producers see profits of 12% 1QFY16/17
Pakistan's cement manufacturers posted 12 per cent growth in their profits during the first quarter of the current fiscal year of 2016/17 on high sales and low financial cost, acocording to a Topline Securities research report. An analysis of 15 out of a total of 19 listed manufacturers, representing 95 per cent of cement companies’ market capitalisation, the profitability of the sector grew ...
Tanzania: Lake Cement plans new plant in Bagamoyo
Lake Cement Ltd announced it will invest US$150m in a new cement plant in Bagamoyo, Pwani Region, Tanzania, with a production capacity of 1.4Mta. Construction is due to commence mid-2017, with completion expected to take approximately two years. The plant will use limestone sourced from the project area. Lake Cement also operates a 1Mta plant in Kimbiji, Kigamboni District. The Kimbiji plan...
Colombia's cement market contracts 14.4% YoY in Oct
Cement consumption in Colombia fell 14.4 per cent to 0.994Mt in October 2016 from 1.162Mt in October 2015, according to the latest figures by the country’s statistics office, DANE. Domestic cement production in October reached 1.076Mt, down 11 per cent YoY. In the first 10 months of 2016, domestic dispatches saw a 5.2 per cent drop to 10.077Mt when compared with 10.632Mt reported in Oct...
Ecocem's turnover rises despite US problems
Ecocem's group turnover totalled EUR63.7m last year, up from EUR61m in the prior year as the company’s operating profit jumped to EUR2.6m from EUR1.5m. However, the company's US subsidiary Orcem Americas’ plan for a new EUR45m plant in California has run into planning difficulties. Orcem Americas has been involved in an ongoing planning dispute over the construction of a US$50m (EUR45m) grin...
Pakistan: gas price reduction to benefit cement manufacturers
The Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Mohammed Ishaq Dar, approved a gas price reduction at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC). The decision will see prices fall from PKR600 to PKR400/mBTU. Lucky Cement, DG Khan Cement and Maple Leaf Cement, each of which operate captive gas-fired power facilities, are set to benefit from the decision with the impact on profitability...
Moroccan cement demand up 8.4% YoY Oct 2016
Moroccan cement sales increased 8.4 per cent in October 2016 when compared with the previous year. In the first 10 months of 2016, cement sales in the kingdom edged up by 0.9 per cent, according to the Directorate of Financial Studies and Forecasting (DEPF), Ministry of Economy and Finance. Real estate loans were up 2.4 per cent to MAD246.4bn (US$24.4bn) at the end of the first nine mon...
India: Jaypee Cement requests coal re-allocation
Jaypee Cement has requested that the central government allocate the two captive coal blocks won in auction to other firms in need of fuel. Jaypee Cement wished to surrender the two blocks in Maharashtra and Mandla South in Madhya Pradesh following the sale of the attached cement plants. The company informed The Economic Times India that, “both cement and captive power plants of Jaypee Bala...
India: 32 manufacturers to sell at INR230/bag
Telangana State Housing Corp has signed a MoU with 32 cement manufacturers this week. As per the MoU, the companies will supply cement at a price of INR230/bag (US$3.35/bag) for the next three years to the housing corporation. With cement prices high on the open market, the state government negotiated with the manufacturing companies for reduced rates. Housing Minister Undrakaran Reddy than...