Cement News tagged: International
Argentina's cement consumption up 7% in December 2017
The Argentine cement market expanded 6.8 per cent YoY in December 2017 with demand at 1,004,332t, according to the latest data by the country’s cement association, AFCP. In December 2016 national demand stood at 940,055t. However, when compared with November 2017, the market contracted by 14.9 per cent. Domestic producers dispatched some 990,472t across Argentina, a YoY advance of 5.8 per c...
China sees a rise in clinker imports
China imported 184,600t of clinker in the first 11 months of 2017, over four times the amount imported during the year-ago period, according to Caixin Global. These figures have been attributed to a surge in domestic prices making it more cost effective to import the material. The majority of the clinker was imported from Vietnam for companies based in Hainan, Shandong, Zhejiang and Beijin...
Turkish petcoke imports uncompetitive compared to domestic producers
Turkish petcoke imports are uncompetitive due to lower prices being offered by domestic producers and high freight rates. The domestic price of petcoke in Turkey is approximately US$107-108/Mt, a lower price than imported petcoke once US$8-10 has been added to cover the added import costs, according to S&P Global Platts. A S&P Global Platts assessment saw Supramax petcoke freight rates from...
Pakistan receives a mixed outlook for 2018
Pakistan’s cement industry is expected to face a series of challenges in 2018 such as decreasing profitability, high interest rates and an increase in coal prices. These factors make a high profit margin for the sector unlikely in the coming years. Reports show that cement bag prices have been placed under pressure by the opening of Cherat Cement’s second production line in the northern reg...
Mexican cement demand forecast to fall 3% in 2017
Mexican cement consumption is expected to reach 43Mt in 2017, representing a three per cent YoY decrease when compared with 2016, according to the National Chamber of Cement (CNC). The fall is the first since 2013. The market contraction has been attributed to a weak construction sector and the uncertainty around the NAFTA negotiations. Cement companies were also at the centre of controv...
New plant to open in Cambodia
Chip Mong Insee Cement Corporation plans to have its 2Mta plant in Kampot province fully operational early this year, according to Khmer Times. The company signed a partnership agreement with Citic Heavy Industries Company in 2016 to build the plant for US$262m. “It will produce two kinds of cement: Camel and Diamond Insee cements,” said Suy Sem, Minister of Mines and Energy in Cambodia. ...
Colombia cement dispatches stable in November
Cement dispatches in Colombia edged up 0.3 per cent YoY to 1.021Mt in November 2017, according to the national statistics office, DANE. The rise in dispatches is attributed mainly to the robust performance in the prefabricated and concrete producer segments. A total of 69.1 per cent of dispatches was carried out as bagged cement, witch the retail segment accounting for 76.6 per cent of bagg...
Nepal clinker and cement raw materials shortage continues
Imports of clinker to Nepal along the Parsa-Bara corridor from Raxaul, an Indian town located on Nepal-India border, have ceased since 22 December, after locals complained about air pollution and health hazards due to transportation of the crucial raw material used in production of cement. As an alternative, the Birgunj dry port had allowed traders to import clinker and other raw materials u...
Cement prices in Nepal rise sharply due to clinker shortages
The tightening supply of cement amid a backdrop of increased demand has resulted in a sharp rise in cement prices in Nepal, with both cement manufacturers and retailers increasing prices in recent weeks. Cement prices in Chabahil, Kalopul, Gausala and Maitidevi have increased by NPR100 (US$0.97) per sack over the past week, according to a survey by The Himalayan Times. The price of a sack o...
Indonesia cement consumption continues its ascent
In November 2017, Indonesia’s domestic cement consumption continued to grow rapidly, rising to 6,365,491t, a 12.1 per cent rise compared to November 2016. Total exports were 281,065t (+178.8 per cent) of which cement exports were 121,727t (+81.4 per cent) while clinker exports were 159,339Tt (+327.5 per cent). YtD domestic consumption was recorded at 60,551,621t (+7.8 per cent) and total expo...
INC Paraguay to start up new mill
Industria Nacional del Cement (INC) plans to commission a new 80tph cement mill in 1Q18. The mill will increase production by 40 per cent, according to the president of the cement company, Jorge Méndez. The new mill will operate alongside the old mill currently used by the cement company. Méndez said that the increase in production will also enable the Paraguayan company to expand market shar...
Huaxin to set up Nepal cement plant
Huaxin Cement (China) has signed an investment agreement with the Investment Board Nepal (IBN) to invest US$140m to establish a 1Mta cement plant in the country, according to a report in the Himalayan Times. The agreement was signed by Maha Prasad Adhikari, CEO of IBN, and Liu Jianguo, overseas development director of Huaxin Cement. The IBN board, which is chaired by the prime minister, wil...
Vietnam cement production reaches 80Mt in 2017
Cement production in Vietnam reached 80Mt in 2017, up six per cent on the year before, according to local press reports. This figure was recorded by the Department of Construction Material under the Ministry of Construction. The department reported that local cement consumption this year had reached 62Mt, representing a YoY increase of three per cent. Meanwhile, the cement export volume rose...
ACC Ltd expects demand to stay on course in 2018
ACC Limited expects demand for cement in India to stay on course in the coming year. In its outlook for 2018, the company stated how the plans by the Government of India to boost economic growth and develop 100 smart cities will provide increased construction activity. “[The Government of India] plans to increase investment in infrastructure, as well as expand the capacity of railways and the...
Cement exports from Pakistan contract in 5MFY18
Pakistan's export of cement during the first five months of current financial year (July-November 2017) recorded a YoY fall of 17.3 and 19.52 per cent in terms of quantity and US dollar value, respectively, according to data released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, Government of Pakistan. The breakdown shows that Pakistan exported 2.059Mt of cement and earned export revenues of US$104.0...
US Portland and blended cement shipments up 5% in October
Total Portland and blended cement shipments in the USA and Puerto Rico in October increased 4.9 per cent YoY in October 2017, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS). Texas, California, Florida, Ohio and New York were the five largest consuming states (in descending order) and accounted for around 37 per cent of national demand. To meet the total demand of 9.424Mt, some 8.284M...