Cement News tagged under: South Africa

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PPC settles cement cartel case

16 November 2020, Published under Cement News

PPC has reached a settlement agreement with South Africa’s Competition Tribunal on the cement cartel case, bringing the 12-year matter to a close, reports Business Weekly. The agreement comes after the competition launched a probe into anti-competitive behaviour in the cement industry in 2008. PPC, along with competitors LafargeHolcim, AfriSam and Natal Portland Cement Cimphor (NPC), allegedly agreed to divide the South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland and Namibia markets in 1995. The ...

PPC sees group revenue decline 2% YoY

16 October 2020, Published under Cement News

South Africa-based PPC has seen its group revenue decline two per cent YoY to ZAR10.241bn (US$618.23m) in the year ending 31 March 2020, compared with ZAR10.494bn in the previous year. Excluding Zimbabwe, revenue fell seven per cent from ZAR9.047bn to ZAR8.380bn, mainly due to a decline in revenues from South Africa cement. Furthermore, the company posted a loss of ZAR2.39bn in the FY19-20 against a ZAR162m profit in the year-ago period. Cost of sales declined three per cent YoY to ZAR8.2...

Redecam completes Lichtenburg ESP-to-baghouse conversions

05 October 2020, Published under Cement News

Redecam Group SpA has successfully completed its civil, mechanical and electrical turnkey project at  LafargeHolcim  South Africa's Lichtenburg plant. Redecam has converted the existing kiln and raw mill No 2 electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) into bag filters, with new outlet and two new exhaust fans. 

PPC delays FY20 earnings results

30 September 2020, Published under Cement News

PPC of South Africa has delayed the release of its full-year earnings for a third time as it finalises its financing. The new date for the financial disclosure is now set for 5 October 2020. PPC has been making adjustments to the valuations of assets in Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the company hopes to conclude a deal with South African lenders in October, reports BNN Bloomberg. PPC reported a resurgence of construction activity in South Africa in June and July and do...

PPC and subsidiaries record double-digit growth in July

20 August 2020, Published under Cement News

PPC reports that its total volumes at its international subsidiaries saw double-digit growth in July compared to sales in July 2019. "The demand is especially strong in Zimbabwe and Rwanda and the growth of sales volumes during July has been positive in the DRC as well," PPC said. "The increased sales volumes and the effect of the cost reduction and cash preservation measures have resulted in cash flows for the last months showing a positive trajectory." Double-digit YoY growth of cement...

Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe ordered to shut plant by EMA

18 August 2020, Published under Cement News

The Environmental Management Agency ordered Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe (LafargeHolcim group) to close its 0.45Mta Manresa plant last week, because of abnormal dust discharges. Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe said it experienced an unexpected surge in dust emissions during a trial of alternative fuel in the plant between July 30 and 1 August, adding that immediate action was taken to control and contain the emissions and the incident was reported to EMA in line with regulatory requirements. It is under...

PPC considers restructuring and refinancing options

14 August 2020, Published under Cement News

Following reports that South Africa’s PPC was looking to raise ZAR1.25bn (US$71.51m) from a rights issue, the company has stated that it is currently in talks with lenders before taking any action. It also noted that its requirement to restructure and refinance the group was primarily a result of its investment in PPC Barnet (Democratic Republic of Congo), according to Business Day. While the company was considering a rights issue, the timing and size of it is dependent on several factors...

South Africa needs to overcome alternative fuel challenges

07 August 2020, Published under Cement News

South Africa still has barriers it needs to overcome to make alternative fuels more accessible for cement producers. While Natal Portland Cement (InterCement group) has redesigned parts of its production process to accept several waste types, in other countries the group has a much higher alternative fuel usage. InterCement has achieved 50-70 per cent AF usage in some of its facilities, but in South Africa this is more difficult. Inland for EnviroSer which supplies liquid hydrocarbon to th...

Dangote's 1H20 results see 2% revenue growth

27 July 2020, Published under Cement News

Dangote Cement reported group revenue up two per cent to NGN476.9bn (US$1.23bn) in the 1H20. Group EBITDA rose to NGN218.1bn and pan-African EBITDA increased by 31.6 per cent to NGN31.5bn. Profit before tax was up 4.7 per cent to NGN162.9bn and net debt stood at NGN372.1bn at the end of 30 June 2020. Michel Puchercos, Group CEO, said:  "I am humbled by the fact that we continue to be in a strong position despite the economic downturn that the world is facing due to COVID-19. Although April ...

South African cement sector is operating in survival mode

13 July 2020, Published under Cement News

Bheki Mthembu, head of the inland business unit of PPC, says the lack of large-scale construction projects in South Africa has left cement producers heavily dependent on residential construction. "The sector has had issues for a while and government needs to support us through infrastructure maintenance and other projects. We were in survival mode and COVID-19 almost served as the final nail in the coffin," said Bheki Mthembu. "There is a very small piece of cake that everyone ...