Vicat advances in the USA in spite of poor weather in California

Vicat's turnover for the first nine months of the year eased by 0.9 per cent to EUR1867m, which represents an underlying improvement of 3.4 per cent. Turnover in cement was 1.9 per cent lower at EUR1136m, which represented 53.1 per cent of the group total. Cement deliveries increased by 10 per cent to 16.64Mt. The aggregates and concrete turnover improved by 2.3 per cent to EUR698m, or 32.6 per cent of the group total, with shipments of aggregates rising by 5.8 per cent to 16.32Mt and deliveries of ready-mixed concrete advancing by 4.9 per cent to 6.56Mm³. The turnover from other activities was 0.1 per cent lower at EUR306m or 14.3 per cent of the group total.

The French consolidated turnover showed a four per cent recovery to EUR604m in the nine months, with the cement turnover improving by 3.53 per cent to EUR265m while volumes were ahead by over eight per cent. The third quarter saw turnover improve by 4.2 per cent as volumes were ahead by more than five per cent.  Aggregates and concrete turnover improved by 3.4 per cent to EUR286m, with selling prices more or less stable in concrete but weakened in aggregates. Volumes were more or less stable in aggregates but improved by more than seven per cent in ready-mixed concrete. Other products and services saw turnover improve by eight per cent to EUR186m.  

Turnover in the rest of Europe declined by 5.5 per cent to EUR310m, but by just 2.8 per cent on a comparable basis. The Swiss turnover came off by 5.8 per cent as a number of major construction projects came to an end as well as price pressures. In the third quarter turnover declined by eight per cent. Cement deliveries declined by around two per cent, with turnover being off by 10.1 per cent, with third quarter volumes registering a reduction of 6.9 per cent. Concrete and aggregates turnover improved by 2.5 per cent, while volumes recovering in aggregates but eased by around one per cent in ready-mixed concrete. In precast concrete, turnover fell by 12.1 per cent mainly reflecting the continued drop in the number of railway sleepers sold, with the third quarter drop being 14.6 per cent. The Italian turnover recovered by 2.8 per cent as volumes improved by in excess of four per cent, but prices continued to decline.

 In the USA, turnover advanced by just six per cent to EUR276m because of unfavourable weather conditions in California. The cement turnover improved by 19.6 per cent to EUR144m as volumes were ahead by more than four per cent, with a growth of more than 15 per cent in the Southeast offsetting an almost seven per cent drop in California. Selling prices improved notably in both regions. The ready-mixed concrete turnover eased by an underlying 0.3 per cent to EUR178m as volumes increased by 10 per cent in the Southeast but dropped by 11 per cent in California. In the third quarter, turnover advanced by 1.7 per cent as volumes improved by more than 11 per cent in the Southeast but declined by almost eight per cent in California.       

Turnover in Asia declined by 7.9 per cent to EUR407m, but at unchanged exchange rates there would have been a growth of 5.1 per cent. The Asian cement turnover amounted to EUR354m. The Turkish turnover was off by 5.1 per cent to EUR164m, and the turnover in cement being down by 6.7 per cent and prices were in decline. The turnover in concrete and aggregates improved by two per cent, with volumes rising in aggregates and in ready-mixed concrete with prices stable in concrete and ahead in aggregates. The Indian turnover eased by 0.5 per cent to EUR205m. While volumes increased by almost 21 per cent to nearly 3.7Mt, average prices were sharply lower, reflecting increased competitive pressure and an unfavourable geographic mix. In Kazakhstan, turnover dropped by 40.2 per cent to EUR38m, reflecting the drop in the value of the local currency with volumes improving by almost four per cent and local prices improved as import pressure was reduced.        

 In Africa and Egypt, underlying turnover improved by 4.6 per cent, but there was an underlying decline of 0.6 per cent to EUR271m. The Egyptian turnover showed an underlying 18.3 per cent increase, but the underlying advance was a more modest five per cent to EUR97m and volumes ahead by almost 19 per cent for the period as a whole, and were ahead by some 27 per cent in the third quarter, but prices were weaker in spite of the higher volumes. Turnover in western Africa declined by 3.4 per cent and volumes were ahead by more than three per cent was increased tonnages sold in Senegal and Mali more than made up for a reduction in Mauritania. The third quarter saw turnover improve by 5.3 per cent as volumes rose by more than 11 per cent.