Cement News tagged under: Ethiopia

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Dangote Cement

29 April 2015, Published under Cement News

Dangote Cement’s new plant in Ethiopia will open in May this year, helping to close the gap between demand and supply in the country. The plant, which is located in Oromia, is one of the largest in east Africa with a production capacity of 2.5Mta. Costing US$400m, the project has been overseen by Sinoma International Engineering. Ethiopia’s current cement production of 5.4Mta falls well below existing demand of 7-8Mta. Dangote is increasingly turning its attention away from Nigeria follow...

Ethiopia: government drafts development strategy

22 April 2015, Published under Cement News

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Industry is drafting a national cement industry development strategy that will enable it to overcome challenges and assist fast growth of the industry. State minister of Industry, Mebrahtu Meles (PhD), told The Reporter that his ministry in collaboration with the Adama Science and Technology University started drafting the national cement industry development strategy last July. Mebrahtu said the cement industry is facing several challenges including high productio...

Dangote Cement

26 March 2015, Published under Cement News

Dangote Cement expects its new plant in Ethiopia to begin test production by the end of March this year with product ready to enter the market in late April/early May. The plant, which is located in West Shoa Zona, 85km from Addis Ababa, has a production capacity of 2.5Mta, making it the biggest of its kind in east Africa. Construction at the US$500m plant began in March 2012 with Sinoma International Engineering overseeing the works. Once completed the plant will produce OPC, PPC and spe...

ASEC Engineering wins Ethiopian plant management contract

11 March 2015, Published under Cement News

ASEC Engineering and Management, a subsidiary of Egypt's Qalaa Holdings (formerly Citadel Capital), has signed a plant management agreement with Ethiopia’s National Cement Share Company. The one-year contract is renewable for a five-year term, according to ASEC. It will  provide full technical assistance to National Cement Share Company, one of the largest producers of cement in Ethiopia, for the operation and maintenance of the cement plant. The Egyptian firm will also utilise its know-...

PPC

03 February 2015, Published under Cement News

PPC’s earnings in the six months to the end of March 2015 could tumble by between 25 and 45 per cent YoY, according to a recent company trading statement. Despite positive cement sales, consolidation of Safika Cement (South Africa) and growth in both Zimbabwe and Botswana, the operating environment in South Africa is expected to remain challenging in both 2015 and 2016. Much of the decline is blamed on weak economic growth and power shortages although increased competition is also taking its...

Qatari group expresses interest in Ethiopian plant construction

22 January 2015, Published under Cement News

A Qatari business group led by Sheikh Fahad Ahmed M T Al Thani has expressed an interest in constructing a cement plant in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, as part of a series of investments across various sectors in the African country. AllAfrica news reported that during a meeting with Ethiopia’s president Mulatu Teshome last week, Mr Al Thani said he had visited various investment sites and plans to launch four projects worth around US$500m including the cement plant. Mr Teshome stressed tha...

Ethiopia: talks on 10-year industry development strategy

23 December 2014, Published under Cement News

Discussions are being held by stakeholders on a draft 10-year cement development strategy for the development of Ethiopia’s cement industry. State Minister of Industry Mebrat Meles said the strategy will be aimed at boosting plant productivity and ensuring the availability of cement at affordable prices for low income earners. Representatives from domestic cement plants share this same view and vowed to realise the strategy, according to local press reports. Problems of limited capacity...

PPC full-year cement sales rise 2%

20 November 2014, Published under Cement News

South Africa's largest cement producer, PPC, reported a two per cent rise in cement sales for the full year to the end of September 2014, as growth in some of its sub-Saharan markets was offset by challenging operating conditions at home. Group revenue increased by nine per cent to ZAR9.04bn (US$818m), mainly attributable to the consolidation of Safika Cement and Pronto Readymix as well as the full-year impact of Cimerwa. On a like-for-like basis, revenue would have been three per c...

PPC increases stake in Habesha, Ethiopia

06 November 2014, Published under Cement News

PPC has increased its shareholding in Ethiopian producer Habesha Cement Share Company to 51 per cent by acquiring the Industrial Development Corporation's (IDC) 20 per cent stake in the company for US$13m. In July 2012, PPC jointly acquired a 47 per cent stake in the Habesha Cement for US$21m, with PPC investing US$12m cash to obtain a 27 per cent stake in Habesha Cement and the IDC simultaneously investing US$9m for a 20 per cent equity stake. The balance of the shareholding is held by mo...

Ethiopia: Chinese producers report tough market conditions

20 October 2014, Published under Cement News

Ethiopia’s sudden slump in cement demand has left an oversupply situation with Chinese cement producers in the country reporting toughening market conditions. There is increased pressure on some companies to look at surrounding markets to meet their targets. Many local cement producers are having to look at exporting their output, for instance, to Somalia. Meanwhile, domestic cement prices have fallen from between ETN3000/t to 4000/t (US$150 to US$200/t) in 2011 to the current ETB2500. De...