Cement News tagged: International
Argentina dispatches decline MoM
Cement dispatches from Argentina (including exports) during February 2012, reached 783,872t, representing a Month on Month (MoM) decline of 13.3 per cent compared to the previous month, data from he association of Portland cement manufacturers (AFCP) showed. Compared to February 2011, dispatches were down six per cent. Domestic consumption meanwhile reached 763,164t during the month, down...
Brazil February sales up 9.8%
Brazilan cement sales in February 2012 rose 9.8 per cent to reach 5.2Mt, latest data from Sindicato Nacional da Indústria do Cimento, shows. For the first two months of 2012, dispatches were 590,000t compared to 546,000t in the first two months of 2011. Cement sales for the rolling 12 months (March 2011 to February 2012) were up 7.8 per cent to 64.8Mt, representing an increase of 7.8 per...
Myanmar plant to improve Gresik distribution network
Following PT Semen Gresik’s announcement that it plans to construct a cement plant in Myanmar, a government official has said the new facility will be improve the company's distribution network, particularly in light of a new regional trade agreement. Earlier this week, local press reported that Gresik is to construct a 2.5Mta cement plant in Myanmar where supply is falling short of demand...
High court halts Lafarge plans to close Frangey site, France
The French High Court has blocked Lafarge’s plan to close its plant in Frangey, northern France until 25 November 2012. SeeNews France reports that the court has also annulled the group’s restructuring plan, but said the economic reasons for halting activity at the site were valid. Lafarge management will propose to staff representatives to resume negotiations for a new restructuring plan s...
TCL, Union wage dispute update, Trinidad
The Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) and Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) are ready to restart negotiations in an attempt to resolve the wage dispute that has resulted in strike action and a cement shortage. On 5 March the union served a strike notice on the company after rejecting a 6.5 per cent wage offer. The union’s president general, Ancel Roget, has given instructions that the letter be s...
Indonesian February consumption rises 23.9%
Indonesia’s domestic sales rose 23.9 per cent YoY in February 2012, according to figures from PT Semen Gresik. February sales reached 4.1Mt, slightly higher than the 4.06Mt achieved in January. Indonesia has enjoyed one of the world’s highest growth rates of cement demand in recent years. Sales in 2011 were up 17 per cent YoY to 47.9Mt and looking forward, growth is expected to continue in ...
Semen Gresik to build 2.5Mta plant in Myanmar
State-owned Indonesian cement producer PT Semen Gresik, is reportedly expanding its operations into Myanmar by constructing a new plant as part of government expansion plans involving state enterprises. The Indonesian cement producer plans a 2.5Mta cement plant at an estimated cost of IDR4.5trn (US$500m), according to company finance director Ahyanizzaman. PT Semen Gresik is one of four ...
Al Jouf Cement secures loan for expansion, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabian cement producer, Al Jouf Cement, said it has signed and agreement with Saudi British Bank (SABB) for a SAR350m (US$93.3m) five-year Islamic facility. The financing will form part of the funds needed for the construction of a second production line and dedicated power plant. Earlier this year, Al Jouf Cement said it would invest SAR885m in a second line with a capacity of ...
UK: calls for public sector construction kick-start
The latest UK construction figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), released on Friday, show that domestic output continued to fall in January as concerns mount over declines in private sector activity. January 2012 figures fell 12 per cent compared to December 2011 while for the three month period ending January 2012, output was down 11 per cent compared to the previous thre...
Saudi monthly production rises 13%
Cement production in Saudi Arabia rose by double digits in February 2012. Output increased 13 per cent to 4.4Mt, according to data posted by local manufacturer Yamamah Cement Co. Source: Bloomberg
Vassilikos strike continues, Cyprus
Striking cement factory workers yesterday moved their protest to Nicosia, picketing the Hellenic Mining Company, one of the main shareholders of Vassilikos Cement, according to Cyprus Mail reports. Employees of the Vassilikos cement factory have gone on an indefinite strike, saying their collective agreements were not being observed. Their strike followed the introduction of cost-cutting meas...
Pakistan cement sales up 7%
Pakistan cement sales rose seven per cent for the first eight months of the current fiscal (July 2011-June 2012) while exports declined by six per cent in the period, data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association reports. Total cement sales for first eight months increased by 3.49 per cent to 20.45Mt from 19.76Mt in the same period of the previous fiscal. Domestic sales rea...
Cimpor considers expanding Dondo plant, Mozambique
Cimpor is studying the option of expanding its Dondo grinding facility in Mozambique with a new clinker plant. “We are carrying out feasibility studies to set up a clinker production plant next to our unit in Dondo,” chief executive Joao Nunes Pereira told Bloomberg. He adding that the aim of the project was to respond to increased demand from Mozambique’s construction sector.The Dondo gri...
Competition Commission settles with Lafarge, South Africa
South Africa’s Competition Commission has reached a settlement with Lafarge for being part of cement cartel. Lafarge is to pay an administrative penalty of ZAR149m, or six per cent of its 2010 turnover in the South African Customs Union (South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Nambia). The agreement follows a settlement reached by the Commission with AfriSam which will pay a fine of ...
Strong gains in South African cement sales
Latest data by the South Africa Cement and Concrete Institute shows that domestic sales for the first two months of the year have registered a double-digit increase. For January and February 2012, cement sales reached 1.66Mt, a 13.7 per cent compared to the same period of 2011 (1.46Mt). Meanwhile, sales for February 2012 alone were 884,700t, representing a rise of 7.4 per cent compared t...
Semen Tonasa announces eastern packing projects, Indonesia
Indonesian cement producer, Semen Tonasa, a Semen Gresik subsidiary, is to construct cement packing plants in all provinces in eastern Indonesia. The company said it would need to spend up to IDR100bn (US$11m) on the project to be carried out in phases, according to reports in the Jakarta Post. Tonasa’s president, Sattar Taba, said the company will build at least two packing plants a yea...