Cement News tagged: International
Uganda: drop in cement production
As cement production has decreased and cement prices increased, the construction sector has slowed down. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) there was a low production of cement between March and April 2016 for "major cement producers in the country", which in turn led to a slump in the construction sector. Tororo Cement and Hima Cement are the largest cement producers in Ugand...
Kazakhstan: constructions begins on Kyzylorda plant
Construction on a 560,000tpa capacity cement plant has begun in the Kyzylorda region of Kazakhstan, reports the regional akimat. The investment project valued 30.2bnt (US$89.2m) is between Meliorator Ltd and Russian company Global Security. Som 250 workers are helping with construction and after the launch of the plant 320 work places will be opened. "Due to use of new technologies the plant...
PPC planning for the long term
South Africa's cement market expanded 7.7 per cent in 2015, but a more competitive environment including new entrants and imports has placed pressure on incumbents, not least the market leader PPC. The company is now facing short-term funding issues as it seeks to execute new projects in Ethiopia, DR Congo and Zimbabwe, but in the long term a more diversified portfolio will strengthen the comp...
Peru cement demand up 1.4% in May
Peru’s cement consumption increased by 1.4 per cent YoY in May, according to the Asociación de Productores de Cemento. Total deliveries, which include exports, increased 1.9 per cent. Production slipped 0.2 per cent when compared with May 2015. “During the fifth month of 2016, cement production fell slightly but national and total dispatches continued to grow,” said the cement association.
Philippines: CeMAP claims cement smuggling on rise
The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) has estimated that 75 per cent of the 161,000t of cement imported into the country in the first quarter of this year was technically smuggled, the Standard reports. CeMAP’s president, Ernesto Ordoñez, claims that importers have been consistently understating the value of their cargoes to avoid taxes. Mr Ordoñez told a press con...
Cembureau: European cement output up 0.9% in 2015
According to the latest figures available, European cement production recorded a moderate growth of 0.9 per cent in 2015, compared to the previous year. This translates into 248Mt of cement in the Cembureau member countries. When put into a global context, of the 4.6bnt produced, Cembureau members accounted for 5.4 per cent. China remained the world’s largest cement producing country, accou...
Iran: exporters look to Africa for new markets
Iranian cement producers are looking further afield as the impact of Iraq’s ban on imports shuts them out of their main export market, the Financial Tribune reports. The lifting of sanctions on Iran earlier this year has expanded the list of potential destinations for cement exports. In May, the Iraqi parliament approved legislation banning cement imports in a move designed to protect domes...
USA: PCA warns tropical storms to affect Florida's cement consumption
Heavy rains in Texas and Tropical Storm Colin in Florida may have a detrimental effect on national cement consumption levels in June, according to the PCA Marketing Intelligence team. Elevated precipitation levels and flooding can delay construction projects, which subsequently impacts cement usage. Since 2000 Texas and Florida have combined to annually consume roughly 20 per cent of cemen...
Venezuela: output at 16% of year forecast
Venezuelan cement producers have manufactured around 112,000t of cement in May, according to El Mundo or some 16 per cent of the forecast year total. Industria Venezolana de Cemento (Invecem) reported an output of 52,522 while Venezolana de Cementos (Vencemos) produced 42,200t of its planned 266,000t. At Cement Andino some 29 per cent of the year total, or 16,273t. Fábrica Nacional de Ceme...
USA: union workers reject contract
According to union representatives, union workers at a northern Nevada cement plant have rejected a contract proposal from the Nevada Cement. The previous contract expired 28 February 2016, but was extended to allow time for negotiations. The latest extension will expire on 30 June. Richard Daly, business manager for International Union Local 169, said the two sides are scheduled to meet on...
USA: 100 years for Stockertown plant
Buzzi Unicem USA is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of its Stockertown Plant this year. The plant was originally built in 1906, but did not become operational until 1916. Construction of the was delayed in 1907 due to the financial climate and eventually completed in 1916 when Morris Kind and associates purchased and finished the works. The Stockertown plant has been known for its c...
Pakistan: Fauji Cement begins silo repair
The repair of damaged raw meal silo and the coal mill area of Line 2 (which has a production capacity of 2.38Mt), of Fauji Cement Ltd’s (FCCL), would take 3-6 months at cost of PKR1.3bn (US$19.38m), says experts monitoring the mishap. After meeting with different accident assessment experts, it is believed that the required time to rehabilitate damaged structure would take 3 -6 months (fo...
Argentine cement demand notes 16.5% rise in May
Dispatches from Argentina’s cement plants rose by 16.5 per cent in May 2016 after a six consecutive months of decreases. Around 881,000t of cement were delivered to the domestic market, according to the country’s cement association AFCP. Some 9000t of cement was exported by domestic producers during May, reflecting a 22.7 per cent drop in export sales when compared with last October’s export...
SNIC president forecasts cement volumes to fall 16%
Jose Otavio Carneiro de Carvalho, president of Brazil's cement industry association SNIC, estimates the domestic market to decrease 12 per cent in 2016, while showing 61Mt over the June 2015-May 2016 period. Jan-May sales fell 13.9 per cent to 23.2Mt suggesting demand would only resume next year and companies would hold back investments to make sure of that.
Kenya: Savannah Cement, Kenyatta University collaboration
Kenyan cement producer Savannah Cement has signed an agreement with Kenyatta University to collaborate in areas such as innovation, student internships, joint research activities and capacity building. Managing Director of Savannah Cement, Ronald Ndegwa, said the company will provide the necessary support to accelerate Kenyatta University's academic and infrastructure development projects. ...
Pakistan: producers eye northern construction growth
This week saw further evidence of resurgent growth in Pakistan’s cement industry as dispatches rose 10.6 per cent YoY. With the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) relating that the growth in cement sales was solely down to higher domestic demand, there is much for the country’s cement producers to be enthusiastic about going forward, especially if they have strong representa...