Displaying items by tag: Mexico
Jaime Rocha Font appointed head of Elementia
24 June 2020Mexico: Elementia has appointed Jaime Rocha Font as its new chief executive officer (CEO) with effect from 2 September 2020. He succeeds Fernando Ruiz Jacques, who will focus on, “new business and development opportunities.” Rocha and Ruiz will work together over the transition process.
Rocha is currently the CEO of Elementia’s Cement Division, including Cementos Fortaleza in Mexico and Costa Rica, as well as Giant Cement Holding in the US. He holds 29 years of experience in the cement industry, and prior to Elementia he held a number of senior positions at Holcim. He has a degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad Católica de Chile and an MBA and postgraduate studies from the IMD in Switzerland, the Free University of Brussels in Belgium and IPADE in Mexico.
Mexico: Cemex has said that new rules proposed by the Secretariat of Energy affecting subsidies for renewable power users will ‘adversely impact business.’ Noticias Financieras News has reported that as of 1 January 2020 Cemex had contracted for the supply of 918MW of renewable energy, 802MW (87%) of it in Mexico.
Cemex makes changes to management team
27 May 2020Mexico: Cemex has made changes to its management team with immediate effect.
Jose Antonio Gonzalez, the Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration, has been appointed as Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development.
Maher Al-Haffar, the Executive Vice President of Investor Relations, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, has been appointed Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration. The group added that Investor Relations will now be integrated to its Finance department.
Mauricio Doehner, the Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Enterprise Risk Management, has been appointed Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Enterprise Risk Management.
Juan Romero, the Executive Vice President of Sustainability, Commercial and Operations Development, will oversee Digital Marketing, in addition to his current responsibilities.
Luis Hernandez, current Executive Vice President of Digital and Organizational Development, will oversee Cemex Ventures, in addition to his current responsibilities.
Juan Pablo San Agustin, the Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development, will leave Cemex. No date for his departure has been released.
Cemex amends main bank agreement
27 May 2020Mexico: Cemex has announced the amendment of its facilities agreement with several financial institutions to alter its consolidated leverage and coverage covenants. Under the new terms, the leverage covenant will increase to 6.75x for June 2020 and to 7.00x for September 2020 through to March 2021 and decrease thereafter.
Cemex chief financial officer (CFO) Maher Al-Haffar said, “We are very pleased with the completion of this process and with the support of our lenders. We are proud of our track record in working together with our bank group in both good and challenging time.”
Cemex said that as part of the amendment it has agreed to ‘temporarily limit certain flexibilities related to capital expenditure.’
Mexico: Elementia’s first quarter sales were US$49.0m, down by 5.0% year-on year from US$52.0m in 2019. Group earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was US$20.4m, down by 7.0% from US$22.0m in the first quarter 2019. Cement volumes fell by 11% year-on-year to 1.08Mt from 1.22Mt.
The company suspended all operations in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador from 20 March 2020 and in Colombia and El Salvador from 30 March 2020. It says that it has moved its 2020 strategic focus to ‘inventory reduction and sustained US cement growth.’
Cemex’s net income falls in January - March 2020
01 May 2020Mexico: Cemex has recorded a consolidated net income of US$47.2m in the first quarter of 2020, down by 13% year-on-year from US$54.1m in the same quarter of 2019. Net sales rose by 6% to US$260m from US$245m. Cemex said, “The world is going through an unprecedented time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction activity across most of our markets is being impacted to varying degrees.”
In 2019 Cemex’s net income was US$179m, down by 69% year-on-year from US$570 in 2018. Net sales were US$13.1bn, down 3.0% from US$13.5bn in 2018.
Colombia: Cemex Latam Holdings (CLH)’s net sales in the first quarter of 2020 were US$214m, down by 11% year-on-year compared to sales of US$240m in the same period of 2019. Operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) throughout the quarter declined by 12% year-on-year to US$46.0m from US$52.3m. Cement volumes over the period were 11% below their first-quarter 2019 level, however prices were 3% higher. Total debt decreased by 8% year-over-year, reaching US$766m as of March 2020.
Cemex Latam Holdings CEO Jesus Gonzalez said, “We came into 2020 with favourable demand momentum in Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador, and a stabilising trend in Costa Rica. The coronavirus outbreak began to impact on this in March 2020. With respect to capex, US$20.0m has been postponed until 2021. Also, members of CLH’s Board and senior leadership have agreed to voluntarily waive a percentage of their second quarter salaries. Other employees voluntarily deferred a percentage of their salaries for the period. I would like to thank my colleagues for their support in these challenging times.”
Cemex implements new coronavirus protocols
27 April 2020Mexico: Cemex has implemented more than 50 new safety protocols to minimise the risk of coronavirus spread in its cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates operations. Cemex said that it recognised ‘the importance of the construction industry in supporting the maintenance and service of essential infrastructure required to face the pandemic and contribute to the economy,’ and would resume or continue all possible operations in line with the regulations of the countries in which it operates.
“The health and safety of its employees is the company’s number one priority,” said Cemex. “Among the protocols implemented are the company’s Personal Hygiene Protocol, Physical Distancing Protocol, Screening at Workplace Protocol, Cemex Truck Drivers Protocol, Workplace Cleaning Protocol, and Commuting To and From Work Protocol,” all developed in line with advice from national and international bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
Cemex has leveraged its Cemex Go digital platform to limit physical contact and ‘protect employees, customers and suppliers.’
Elementia’s Jamie Ruiz Sacristán dies
22 April 2020Mexico: Elementia has announced the death of its board member Jaime Ruiz Sacristán who died on 12 April 2020. The company said that Sacristán worked with ‘tireless dedication’ at the company for 20 years to ‘build Elementia, contributing knowledge, talent and direction.’
During a distinguished career, Sacristán held positions such as president of the board of directors of the Mexican Stock Exchange, president, partner and founder of Grupo Financiero Ve por Más and president of the Mexican Association of Bankers. He was also a member of the board of directors of numerous companies in the financial, industrial and commercial sectors.
Francisco del Valle Perochena, chairman of the board at Elementia said, “I am very sad to report the death of a great man and friend. He will always be present in our lives and in our hearts. He leaves us an invaluable legacy as a professional and as a great human being. His temperance, wisdom, good sense and prudence are just some of the great qualities that we admired and respected in him.”
Cemex resumes Colombian production
14 April 2020Colombia: Mexico-based Cemex has announced the resumption of operations at its 2.8Mt/yr Caracolito plant in Ibagué, Tolima Department on 13 April 2020. Noticias Financieras News has reported that Cemex Colombia will resume the supply of its products to ‘infrastructure and public works that cannot be suspended, as well as for emergency care projects and road projects.
Cemex will have to wait for the Colombian government to lift its coronavirus lockdown to restart supplies to customers.