Displaying items by tag: GCW317
Hyundai Cement plans solar plant at Danyang plant
25 August 2017South Korea: Hanil Cement and LK Investment Partners are considering plans to build a solar plant at Hyundai Cement’s plant at Danyang. The owners of the cement plant want to build the solar plant at the site when its limestone reserves start to decline, according to the Maeil Business Newspaper. The new power plant is intended to increase its profitability.
Indonesia: Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Rini Soemarno has launched an affordable cement programme for Papua province targeted at its mountainous regions. The scheme is being run with five state-owned companies: Semen Indonesia, Pelni, Pelindo IV, Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia and Pos Indonesia. The scheme has been introduced due to poor transport links to and within the province in conjunction with improvements to road and port infrastructure, according to the Antara news agency. Cement under the scheme is imported by Semen Indonesia to the port at Timika before being distributed by road and aeroplane.
Cuba: The Cuban cement industry is operating at a 58% capacity utilisation rate, according to the CiberCuba website. The low rate has been blamed on logistic and electricity supply problems.
CRH’s European Heavyside division stagnates so far in 2017
24 August 2017Ireland: CRH’s sales revenue from its Europe Heavyside division, which includes cement production, fell by 2% year-on-year to Euro3.35bn in the first half of 2017 from Euro3.41bn in the same period of 2016. The group described the situation in Europe as ‘stabilising,’ with market recovery reported in Ireland, France, Finland and Poland. However, its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) remained static at Euro352m. Overall the group’s sales rose by 2% to Euro13bn and its EBITDA rose by 5% to Euro1.18bn.
"We have had a satisfactory start to 2017 with stabilising trends in key European markets and EBITDA growth in the Americas,” said chief executive Albert Manifold. “For the second half of the year, despite currency headwinds and continuing challenging conditions in the Philippines, we expect a continuation of the first half momentum experienced in Europe and EBITDA growth in the Americas, which will result in another year of progress for the group."
The group’s America Materials division’s sales rose by 6% to Euro3.17bn and its EBITDA rose by 15% to Euro288m. It reported that residential and non-residential demand increased and that publicly funded infrastructure activity remained stable in the US. However, its cement volumes fell by 1% due to declines in Ontario and Quebec, although this was partly offset by increases in the US market. In Asia the group’s sales fell by 11% to Euro244m in part due to lower sales volumes of cement in Philippines with falling prices and higher fuel and power costs.
Germany: Ireland’s CRH has acquired Fels, a lime and aggregate business, for Euro600m from Xella International. The purchase includes nine production locations in Germany, one in the Czechia and one in the Moscow region of Russia, as well as over 1Bnt of limestone reserves. The assets will be added to CRH’s Europe Heavyside division. The purchase is expected to make CRH the second largest business in the European lime market. The acquisition has been funded by the sale of CRH’s Americas Distribution business to Beacon Roofing Supply for Euro2.2bn.
Saudi Arabia: Clinker production fell by 10.9% year-on-year to 29.3Mt in the first seven months of 2017. The Saudi Economic Review by the National Commercial Bank has attributed the slowdown in production to weak domestic demand, which fell by 9.8% in 2016, and ‘record high’ clinker inventory levels of 32.5Mt in July 2017, according to the Saudi Gazette newspaper. The local cement industry has also suffered from rising input costs due to higher energy and fuel prices following government policy changes.
Germany: The German Cement Works Association (VDZ) expects cement consumption to continue growing in 2017. The pronouncement follows data showing that consumption rose by 3.2% year-on-year in the country to 27.5Mt in 2016. VDZ president Christian Knell attributed the growth to a high level of building activity and good weather. Looking forward to the rest of 2017, he said that housing and infrastructure projects are expected to support the growth of cement sales.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development declines to increase share in Holcim Azerbaijan
24 August 2017Azerbaijan: The Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has declined to increase its participation share in the capital of Holcim Azerbaijan to 20%. No reason for the refusal has been disclosed. The bank currently holds a 10% share in the cement producer, according to Trend News Agency. The EBRD has been considering increasing its share in the cement producer since mid-2016. It said that it would continue its support in the development of Azerbaijan’s non-oil sector. Holcim Azerbaijan’s main shareholder is LafargeHolcim. It owns a 66% of the company. The bank expects government infrastructure projects to pick up the sector in the medium to long term.