21 February 2017
Hoffmeier delivers ball mill to Misr Beni Suef Cement 21 February 2017
Egypt: Hoffmeier Industrieanlagen has delivered a ball mill to Misr Beni Suef Cement. The mill has a diameter of 6m, a length of 17.3m and its weighs 190t. The installation of the mill will start in April 2017 and is to be commissioned by the end of the year. Hoffmeier will also support the customer with its installation knowledge during the assembly phase. The German engineering company produces industrial heavy machinery including tube mills and rotary kilns.
Ground-breaking for third line at Semen Indonesia’s Kupang cement plant scheduled for March 2017 21 February 2017
Indonesia: The ground-breaking ceremony for Semen Indonesia’s new Kupang cement plant has been scheduled for 10 March 2017. The governor of East Nusa Tenggara, Frans Lebu Raya, told the Antara news agency that the preparation phase for the project had been completed. The new line will have a production capacity of 1.5Mt/yr and it will be situated in the Bolok Industrial District. The project has a budget of US$150m and it will take about three years to build. The new plant is a join-venture between Semen Indonesia and Semen Kupang. Both cement producers already operate cement plants in Kupang.
Clinker imports to Nepal rise rapidly in last half year 21 February 2017
Nepal: Data from the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC) has shown that the value of imports of clinker has increased by nearly six times year-on-year to US$84m in the first six months of the Nepalese fiscal year to mid-January 2017 from US$14m in the same period in the previous year. Dhurba Thapa, president of the local Cement Manufacturers Association, told the Kathmandu Post that the surge in clinker imports was due to a market correction following a ban on exports imposed by India in the previous year. He added that imports of clinker from India account for around 35 – 40% of Nepal’s total consumption.
India: Burnpur Cement plans to launch a new product PPC (Pozolona Portland Cement) from its Patratu plant in late April 2017. Following the launch the cement producer hopes to increase its capacity utilisation rate at the plant to 100%. Burnpur Cement operates two integrated cement plants in the east of the country.
Ambuja Cement’s sales suffer from demonetisation in 2016 21 February 2017
India: Ambuja Cement’s standalone net sales fell by 2% year-on-year to US$1.37bn in 2016 from US$1.4bn in 2015. Its sales volumes of cement fell by 2% to 21.1Mt from 21.5Mt. However, its operating earnings before interest taxation, amortisation and depreciation (EBITDA) rose by 10% to US$251m from US$229m. It blamed the loss in sales on the government’s demonetisation policy and bad weather. Despite sales growth in the first half of the year, its sales volumes in the fourth quarter fell by 9% due to cash shortages.
“Our rapid adoption of cashless payment methods in the December 2016 quarter helped Ambuja to deliver a strong performance in 2016. In 2017 we are well placed to be part of the infrastructure development panned by the government and the new thrust on affordable hosing projects,” said Ajay Kapur, chief executive officer of Ambuja Cement.
The cement producer also reported that its operating costs fell in 2016 due to a reduction in energy costs, mainly due to an increased use of petcoke, higher usage of alternative fuels and general efficiency improvements.