Colacem looks to expand international presence

Colacem, Italy’s third-largest producer, has said it is looking to expand its presence abroad to help offset declines in domestic cement consumption.

Director General Giuseppe Colaiacova told reporters at a press conference that the company wants to increase its business outside Italy more due to the market situation at home.

The group has expanded internationally and has plants in Tunisia, Albania, the Dominican Republic and Canada and terminals in Spain and Jamaica. Mr Colaiacova said the company now wants to expand its presence in the Caribbean and is looking at the potential oil markets of some sub-Sahara African countries such as Nigeria, Mozambique and Angola, the Italian Collection reported.

In Italy, Colacem has eight integrated plants and three grinding centres with a combined cement capacity of around 8.4Mta as well as three marine terminals in the north of the country. Its strongest presence is in the central region of Italy and it also has sizeable operations in southern Italy and on Sicily but only one works in the north (Lombardy).

The Italian market has suffered a dramatic collapse since demand peaked in 2008, wiping off 20Mt off consumption levels. Last year demand fell 20.7 per cent to 26Mt but the rate of decline is expected to slow this year to around six per cent. A stabilisation of consumption at lower levels is expected from 2014.