Displaying items by tag: Philippines
Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines to stop gathering sales data over competition concerns
23 August 2017Philippines: The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CEMAP) has decided to stop collating quarterly sales data on the cement industry due to competition concerns. Instead its president Ernesto Ordonez has urged the government to gather the information, according to the Philippines Star newspaper. Its last report was in 2016. CEMAP is currently under investigation by the Philippine Competition Commission for allegations of anti-competitive behaviour.
Philippines: The Philippine Cement Importers Association (PICA) has supported the Department of Trade and Industry’s measures to regulate cement imports. The association has also proposed that imported cement be tested upon entry, according to the Manila Standard newspaper.
“The PCIA is categorically against importation of sub-standard cement. In fact, the PCIA has proposed to take an active part in monitoring and enforcement against sub-standard cement whether imported or locally manufactured,” said PICA’s executive director Dani Enriquez. He added that sub-standard cement would be bad for business and the country’s infrastructure program.
Two new plants for Sison
14 August 2017Philippines: Businessman Ramon Ang, the president of Northern Cement Corp. (NCC), has announced that he will spend US$683m on the construction of two new cement plants in Sison. He made the announcement as NCC donated two new ambulances to the town and announced a range of other public-facing projects. NCC has operated a cement plant at Barangay Labayug since 1967.
Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry has confirmed its support for a plan to require cement importers to secure licenses and clearances for their products. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez backed the plan first issued in February 2017, according to the Philippines Star newspaper. The Department Administrative Order requires the application of the Philippine Standards licenses on foreign producers of cement imports and import commodity clearance on cement imports, as well as setting a minimum paid capitalisation of US$0.4m for all cement importers. The measures are intended to support domestic self-sufficiency in the cement industry.
Philippine Competition Commission expects to complete investigation of cement industry by 2019
03 August 2017Philippines: The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) expects to complete an investigation in alleged violations of competitive practice by the cement industry by 2019. PCC commissioner Stella Quimbo made the comments at a forum on the Philippines Competition Act (PCA), according to the Philippines Star newspaper. The investigation follows a probe earlier in 2017 in which the commission says it found reasonable grounds to proceed based on allegations made by the former trade undersecretary Victorio Dimagiba. According to a legal statement made by Dimagiba, the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CEMAP), led by its president Ernesto Ordonez, Lafarge Holcim Philippines and Republic Cement and Building Materials violated the provisions of the PCA by engaging in anti-competitive agreements.
Philippines: Holcim Philippines is set to invest US$54m over the next two years to expand capacity and brace for ‘cut-throat’ competition that it says has affected is profitability. In the first six months of 2017, Holcim Philippines’ net profit fell by 42.6% year-on-year to US$41.5m on the back of a 16.7% decline in net sales to US$344.2m. For the second quarter alone, its net profit slumped by 46.2% year-on-year to US$22.9m. The decline in income was attributed by the company to lower sales alongside higher production input costs. Nonetheless, the company said that it would continue to invest to raise its cement production capacity from 10Mt/yr to 12Mt/yr to support demand as the government rolls out its flagship infrastructure projects.
In a statement Holcim Philippines president and chief executive Sapna Sood said that the investment indicated the company's continued commitment to the development of the country and its customers. "Our investments ensure that Holcim Philippines will continue to provide a reliable supply of an essential building material as cement demand increases in the country as these projects come on stream," she said. "The company will invest US$54m in the next two years to add 2Mt/yr to its current cement capacity by the first half of 2019, particularly in La Union and Davao."
Southeast Asia: LafargeHolcim has signed an agreement on biodiversity conservation with Fauna & Flora International (FFI). Under the agreement, FFI will perform an independent external review of the group’s existing biodiversity management plans (BMP) at sites in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines; contribute to the development of a group-wide strategy on karst management; identify opportunities for enhancing biodiversity in quarry rehabilitation; and organise a stakeholder dialogue bringing together an external expert group, local government, local non government organisations and LafargeHolcim staff to consult on BMP recommendations. The agreement is intended to help LafargeHolcim meet the biodiversity aspects of its 2030 sustainability plan.
“Biodiversity loss is a major global challenge. We aim to be good stewards of the land where we operate and demonstrate that proper management of quarries can reduce and reverse our impacts and even generate positive change for biodiversity. The new engagement work with FFI will play a key role in achieving our commitment,” said Caroline Hempstead, Group Head of Communications, Public Affairs & Sustainable Development at LafargeHolcim.
Philippines: Republic Cement has released more information about its US$300m investment programme to increase its production capacity. The joint venture from Ireland’s CRH and Aboitiz Equity Ventures plans to increase the capacity of its plants at Luzon and Mindanao by 2019 in the first phase of the project, according to the Manila Bulletin newspaper. This will then be followed by a second phase that will build new clinker production lines.
Little additional detail was released but the cement producer intends to install several grinding mills to increase its cement production capacity by 3Mt/yr. In addition it will install improved process technology to increase clinker output from all of its plants in Luzon that it says will be equivalent in capacity terms to a new kiln line investment.
Philippines: The Board of Investments (BOI) is seeking investment in the cement sector as it expects demand to double to 40Mt/yr by 2020 due to a peak in government infrastructure spending. At the same time Department of Trade and Industry (TI) Undersecretary for industry promotions group Ceferino S Rodolfo confirmed that two companies are preparing to build new integrated plants, according to the Manila Bulletin newspaper. Both companies are obtaining permits for their projects but Rodolfo would not confirm their identifies. DMCI Holdings was reported in the local press as being interested in building a plant Antique's Semirara Island in early June 2017.
Eagle Cement orders coal mill from Loesche
19 June 2017Philippines: Eagle Cement has ordered a coal mill from Loesche for its Barangay cement plant in San Ildefonso. The vertical roller mill is intended for the third line at the plant and it is designed for grinding 54t/hr of mixed coal or 34t/hr of pet coke. The grist is ground to a fineness of 12% (coal) or 3% (pet coke) sieving residue with 90µm. The scope of supply also includes an LSKS-classifier and corresponding filters, blowers, an inertisation unit, the gas analysis and the main drives. All components are scheduled to be delivered before the end of 2017.