Tunisia: Ciments de Bizerte increases sales by 24.5% in 2Q16

Tunisia's domestic cement sales were up 4.37 per cent in 1Q16, but slumped 5.12 per cent by 30 June 2016. However, Ciments de Bizerte saw its domestic sales increase 65 per cent at the end of 1Q16 and by a further 24.5 per cent at the end of the second quarter.

By 30 June 2016, the company's cement sales reached TND33.3m (US$15.1m) an increase of 28.03 per cent over 2015, or by over 65,000t. Ciments de Bizerte market share also increased from 6.18 per cent to 8.34 per cent YoY by the end of June 2016.

Ciments de Bizerte saw production of clinker, in 1H16 declined by -29.87 per cent compared with the same period last year.  However, overall turnover of the 1H16 saw a net improvement of + 31.44 per cent, or TND8.2m (US$3.74m) compared to 1H15. 

Ciments de Bizerte confirmed its committed investments, which are in progress, and that focus on the civil works of the dock and modernisation of loading and unloading facilities. The reason for an extended shutdown of the kiln for maintenance work during the 2Q16 was, because of a technical incident relating to a detachment of the inclined shaft of the precalciner.