Displaying items by tag: Brazil
Cimpor’s net loss grows in third quarter of 2015
19 November 2015Portugal: Cimpor has reported that its net loss grew by 52.5% year-on-year to Euro26.7m in the third quarter of 2015. The quarterly loss follows a general trend for the year as a whole. Sales volumes, revenue and profit are all down for both the third quarter and the year. The InterCement subsidiary has blamed the result on the slowdown of the Brazilian economy.
Cement and clinker volumes fell by 9.7% year-on-year to 7.07Mt in the third quarter of 2015. Sales revenue fell by 11.8% to Euro625m. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation fell by 32.5% to Euro116m. For the first nine months of 2015, cement and clinker volumes fell by 7.2% to 21.1Mt. Sales revenue fell slightly by 1.2% to Euro1.93bn. EBITDA fell by 14.2% to Euro396m. Net loss grew by 90.2% to Euro33.7m.
By geographical area, Cimpor suffered from reduced demand for cement in Brazil due to the poor economy, along with increased competition and higher thermal costs. Elsewhere, some slowing has been observed in Africa in the third quarter as a result of one-off situations in Egypt, where an intensification of competition has lead to a fall in market prices, and Mozambique, where profitability was restricted by local energy limitations and the increase of costs pegged to the dollar.
Votorantim Cimentos opens new mortar plant near Salvador
09 November 2015Brazil: Votorantim Cimentos has inaugurated a 206,000t/yr mortar plant at the Camacari industrial hub, in Salvador, north-eastern Brazil. This is Votorantim's sixth unit in operation in north-east Brazil and it received US$6.48m in investment. The plant will generate 80 direct and indirect jobs.
Secil to build new 2Mt/yr cement plant in Brazil via Supremo
15 October 2015Brazil: Portugal's Secil plans to upgrade its production capacity in Brazil by 2Mt/yr by the end of 2015. The move results from the addition of a new US$149m plant by its local division, Supremo, in Adrianopolis, Parana. Supremo also runs another plant in Pomerode, Catarina. The new plant will increase Secil's total cement production capacity from 7.65Mt/yr to 9.65Mt/yr, a 26% rise.
Votorantim Cimentos expands its cement plant in Turkey
08 October 2015Brazil/Turkey: Votorantim Cimentos has announced investment plans of up to US$158m to expand its business in Turkey. As well as tripling the output of its cement plant in Sivas, Votorantim may set up or acquire a new plant to tap the growth potential of Turkey's construction sector, according to company officials.
"The investment in our Sivas plant will boost production capacity to 1.8Mt/yr, up from its current level of 600,000t/yr. Following the upgrade, the Sivas plant will account for 42% of Votorantim's cement production capacity in Turkey," said Sefik Tuzun, Votorantim Turkey's CEO. "Votorantim sees the potential of Turkey's construction sector and this investment shows our commitment to reinforcing our presence in Turkey. Sivas' expansion will bring a crucial dynamism and competitiveness to the company in the Turkish cement market."
The capacity upgrade will be completed by April 2017. The construction works for the extension will create employment for 700 people. Votorantim Turkey is active in cement production as well as concrete and aggregate businesses in the country, accounting for a share of about 29% of Votorantim Cimentos' total production capacity, excluding China.
Brazilian cement firms pay up over Indian acquisition infringements
30 September 2015India: Brazilian cement major Votarantim Cimentos, InterCement Austria Holding and Camargo Corrêa have settled a case with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for alleged violation of takeover protocols regarding Shree Digvijay Cement. They have paid over US$115,000 in settlement charges.
SEBI had initiated adjudication proceedings against the three companies over the violation of provisions Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers (SAST) regulations. It was alleged that the entities failed to comply with certain provisions of the SAST regulations while making an open offer for acquisition of 36.7 million shares, representing a 26% stake in Shree Digvijay Cement.
LafargeHolcim launches Maua cement campaign
25 September 2015Brazil: Cement group LafargeHolcim has announced the launch of a new promotional campaign for its Maua cement brand in Brazil. The campaign, launched in Rio de Janeiro with the concept 'Orgulho de Fazer Bem Feito' or 'Proud of doing things well', will include radio spots and outdoor advertising in addition to point-of-sale material. The campaign also includes a radio competition that will award smartphones to eight winners.
Brazil: Based on Brazil's 2015 GDP forecast, cement production and civil construction in Brazil are expected to remain flat in 2015 for the first time in more than a decade.
GDP rose by 7.53% in 2010, but growth dropped in the following four years to 2.73%, 1.03%, 2.49% and 0.1%, according to BNamericas data. The amount of cement produced has followed the same trend. While in 2010 production was up by 14.2%, it rose by 7.55%, 8.19%, 2% and only 1.5% in the following four years, ending 2014 at 71.2Mt. Finally, civil construction revenue jumped by 33.5% in 2010, but the industry posted increases of 12.6%, 12.9%, 7.60% and 8.48% over the next four years. The last drop in Brazil's civil construction industry occurred in 2002. As GDP estimates are pointing toward a 1.7% contraction for 2015, cement production and civil construction are unlikely to grow in 2015 if they continue to follow Brazil's overall economy.
Sinoma considers investment in Pecem Port
04 August 2015Brazil: Sinoma Group has announced plans to invest in the Brazilian State of Ceara after visiting the Pecem Port industrial complex on 31 July 2015. The group will not necessarily install a cement plant at the complex and could instead supply machinery and equipment to the cement sector. The group is likely to continue to evaluate the market and economic conditions of the state before determining the level of investment to be made.
Ricardo Lima at the helm of Intercement
04 August 2015Brazil: COO of Intercement Ricardo Lima has been appointed as company president. He replaces Jose Edison Franco. Lima and Franco have made a strategic company plan, which includes a US$250m investment in a new cement plant in Mozambique.
Brazil: Brazil's antitrust watchdog Cade has ordered six cement makers named in a price-rigging case to pay a combined US$934m in fines within one month in a landmark decision that also orders asset disposals, according to Reuters. Under the terms of the decision announced on 29 July 2015, the watchdog gave the companies a one-year deadline to reduce their installed capacity in the cement and concrete industries through asset sales. The decision was published in the government's official gazette.
According to Cade, which first issued a ruling in the case in May 2014, Votorantim Cimentos, Intercement Brasil, Itabira Agro Industrial, Cia de Cimentos Itambé, Holcim Ltd and Cimpor Cimentos de Portugal colluded on pricing to force rivals out of the market. The ruling, which followed an eight-year inquiry, followed cost overruns that dogged Brazil's preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup as well as dozens of road, port and infrastructure projects across the country. The companies control about 75% of the domestic market for cement and concrete.
A series of studies by Cade showed evidence that several takeovers and asset swaps among cement companies during the 1990s and the 2000s were made to prevent rivals from entering the market. The largest players in Brazil's cement industry tend to have strong market control in specific regions, increasing the potential for collusion. The number of cement producers in Brazil shrank to about 10 in 2011 from almost 25 in the early 1990s.
Under terms of the ruling, Votorantim must pay US$450m in fines and Cimpor US$89.2m. Cade fined Intercement Brasil US$72.4m, Itabira US$123m and Holcim US$153m. Itambé must pay US$26.4m. Some of the companies are challenging Cade's ruling in the courts. Cade also imposed sanctions on ABCP, Brazil's Portland cement group and SNIC, which represents local cement plants.