Cement News tagged under: international
Oman cement output rises03 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsUntil recently, Omani cement manufacturers were victims of the cheap inflow of cement from UAE, but the Oman Daily Observer has reported that domestic cement producers are ramping up production to meet rising local demand and that in export markets such as Yemen and some East African nations. In 2011, imports met 25% of cement demand in Oman, mainly from UAE where a weak construction sector resulted in excess supply of cement. However, UAE producers recently increased cement prices. Ceme... |
Philippines: Holcim to reopen Batangas grinding station03 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsHolcim Philippines is reopening its grinding plant in Mabini, Batangas, next year because of the strong local demand for cement. Holcim said it is optimistic that demand for cement will continue to flourish, especially with the government's infrastructure projects and boom in housing. Upon its reopening in 2013, the grinding plant with an existing capacity of 7.7Mta Holcim will spend around PHP400m (US$9.4m) to rehabilitate the factory with an additional 0.5Mta capacity. The Mabini pla... |
Kenya: cement makers gamble on growing demand03 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsCement makers in Kenya are hoping demand from the housing sector, infrastructure and exports will sustain steady growth in consumption of the commodity in the local market. Despite reports of a slowing real estate sector, manufacturers say consumption of the cement increased in the 1Q12, driven by the other two segments. "This is driven mainly by three sectors: housing, infrastructure and exports. Overall consumption from these three sectors did increase in the first quarter," said Surend... |
USA: Illinois Cement workers rally as strike looms03 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsConditions are ripe for a walkout at Illinois Cement Company in La Salle. Contract negotiations between Illinois Cement and the local United Steel Workers (USW) began in December. Since early March the union’s 114 members have been working without a contract, said local USW vice president T “Boo” Herndon. Members of USW Local 657 have begun meeting daily during lunchtime in the employee parking lot to discuss their status and prepare for a possible strike. “They want to raise our insur... |
Taiwan: cement and steel firms abort price hike plan03 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsWith a power-rate hike to be carried out in three stages, major Taiwan cement and steel firms have decided to shelve their plan to raise prices. Taiwan Cement announced yesterday that its cement prices will remain unchanged in May, as it already has sufficient time to cope with the increased cost. The government originally planned to hike power rates in one fell swoop, posing heavy pressure on the cement industry, as power fee accounts for 11% of the production cost of cement. The a... |
Breedon targets acquisitions from Lafarge and Anglo-American UK sales02 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsBreedon Aggregates is eyeing the quarry assets of Lafarge and Anglo American PLC that need to be sold for their British joint venture to succeed. The aggregate company is likely to bid on the quarries up for sale after the Competition Commission ruled yesterday that a merger between Lafarge and Anglo American’s UK subsidiary, Tarmac, could go ahead only after substantial disposals. This means that the Hope Cement works, in Derbyshire, and a host of quarries, ready-mixed concrete and asp... |
Nigeria seeks affordable cement and more home-skilled workers02 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsThe Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, has echoed the federal government's worry over the rising cost of cement and the importation of skilled workers for construction projects in the country. He spoke during an interactive session at the recent Lagos Economic Summit and remarked that Nigeria has moved from a country that produced 2Mt of cement in 2000 to a country that now has the installed capacity to produce 27Mt of cement. He also said that before the end of the y... |
Credit Suisse sees “headwinds” for Indian cement sector02 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsCredit Suisse sees near-term "headwinds" for the sector due to a slowdown in rural and urban housing, despite the "attractive long-term rural story. "The investment bank re-starts coverage of the Indian cement sector with an "underperform" rating on ACC and Ultratech Cement and a "neutral“ rating on Ambuja Cement. Credit Suisse says margins will also "deteriorate" due to an expected 13% rise in power and freight costs on the back of higher domestic coal and diesel prices. The bank also say... |
Commission demands Lafarge/Anglo asset sale, UK01 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsThe UK’s Competition Commission (CC) has said Anglo American PLC and Lafarge must sell a significant portfolio of operations before their proposed construction materials joint venture can go ahead. A nglo American, through its UK subsidiary Tarmac, and Lafarge are both global firms that supply construction materials in the UK. The parties proposed to establish a 50:50 joint venture, to which each of them would contribute the bulk of their construction materials businesses in the UK. ... |
PCA: modest cement demand growth for 2012, greater growth beyond01 May 2012, Published under Cement NewsStronger than expected job creation and the beginning of a construction industry recovery means gains in real construction spending will materialise this year—after seven years of consecutive declines. According to the new forecast from the Portland Cement Association (PCA), increases in cement consumption will follow. PCA revised its fall forecast upward, anticipating a modest 3.7 per cent increase in 2012, followed by a 7.6 per cent jump in 2013 and a 14.1 per cent increase in 2014. T... |