03 March 2017
Pakistan: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has found that Zeal Pak Cement dodged paying US$19.7m to the authorities via tax evasion and money laundering schemes. As well as underpaying tax on imports of cement the cement producer also sent money to Iran, according to the National Herald Tribune newspaper. The FBR was alerted to the malpractice mid-way through importing a 86,500t consignment of Ordinary Portland Cement that was subsequently impounded. Zeal Pak Cement is also accused of fabricating false invoices and other documents.
Germany: The Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) says that turnover of German manufacturers of construction equipment rose by 3% year-on-year to Euro9.3bn in 2016. This compares to a fall of world sales of construction equipment by 1%. The German domestic market grew by 20% to nearly Euro3bn in 2016, following a recovery in 2015, nearly matching the record year of 2007.
Growth was reported in most European markets, with the exception of the UK and in Central Eastern Europe. However, the industry saw sales decline by over 9% in North America. Infrastructure spending in the US is expected to stabilise this situation. Latin America suffered from the weakness of the Brazilian construction industry and general economy. Sales in Asia benefited from a recovery in China following four years of decline and an increase of 30% in India, boosted by road construction.
“We will only keep growing in the future if we further strive for international solutions and co-operations. In a highly specialised sector like ours, where special machines are not available in every region of the world, open markets are highly essential. We all depend on free trade and good economic sense. This applies for Europe and the United States alike,” said Johann Sailer, chairman of the VDMA.
Colombia: Gebr. Pfeiffer has sold a Ready2Grind modular grinding system with a MVR 2500 C-4 mill to LafargeHolcim Colombia. The order consists of a Ready2Grind with a finished product storage area and a packing plant supplied by Claudius Peters. No value for the sale has been disclosed.
Qatar: Qatar National Cement Company plans to commission two cement mills for its Plant 5 during the first half of 2017 to increase its production capacity to 5500t/day. Then, construction work on the kiln will be completed in the second half of the year, according to comments made by Salem bin Butti Al Naimi, chairman and managing director of the company, that were reported by the Peninsular newspaper. The company intends to increase its production capacity of washed sand and calcium carbonate to capture an anticipated rise in market demand. It also intends to sell its Plant 1 to Umm Bab following an agreement in mid-2016.
The cement producer’s revenue fell by 2.6% year-on-year to US$313m in 2016 from US$321m in 2015. Its cement sales volumes fell slightly to 3.7Mt during the period. Its net profit rose by 2.3% to US$130m from US$127m.
Algeria: Serge Dubois, the head of communications at LafargeHolcim Algeria, says that Algeria faces a cement production overcapacity of 10Mt by 2019. In an interview with a local radio station he added that the country will overproduce 1Mt in 2017 and that it imported 3.5Mt in 2016, according to Maghreb Emergent. LafargeHolcim intends to diversify its product range to cope with this anticipated production glut with a focus on roads, airports and industrial users.
Cementos Molins continues to grow profit in 2016 03 March 2017
Spain: Cementos Molins’s profit rose by 25.6% year-on-year to Euro63.9m in 2016 from Euro50.8m in 2015. However, its sales revenue fell by 12% to Euro561m from Euro638m and its cement and clinker sales volumes fell slightly to 13.7Mt. The cement producer blamed the result on poor sales in Argentina, Uruguay and Tunisia.
Semen Indonesia sales fall in 2017 03 March 2017
Indonesia: Semen Indonesia’s sales revenue fell by 3% year-on-year to US$1.95bn in 2016 from US$2.01bn in 2015. Its gross profit fell by 7.4% to US$737m from US$796m. Its overall cement sales volumes remained stable at 28.9Mt although sales from its Vietnamese subsidiary rose by 10.9% to 2.59Mt and its domestic subsidiary Semen Padang saw its sales fall by 3.5% to 6.29Mt. Exports from Indonesia rose by 24.4% to 0.6Mt.
Despite its static cement sales in Indonesia, the cement producer has two new 3Mt/yr cement plant projects respectively underway. The Indarung cement plant in West Sumatra is scheduled for commercial operation in April 2017. The Rembang cement plant in Central Java remains suspended whilst the company seeks environmental clearance. The government revoked permits for the site in late 2016 and it has been the focus of protests. In addition, a 30MW waste heat recovery system at the Tuban plant is scheduled to start operation by the end of 2017.