08 November 2019

Russia: The government of the Republic of Turva has announced its approval of a 2Mt/yr integrated cement plant near the extensive limestone and clay reserves around Shagonar in the Republic of Turva. Local investors will undertake the development, scheduled for completion in late 2020, at an estimated cost of US$5.48m. The announcement has attracted uproar from residents of the area for the proximity of the intended site to the sacred mountain Haiyrakan, where the most significant limestone deposits are located.

Togo: Nigerian-based Dangote Cement has received government clearance for construction of a 1.5Mt/yr grinding plant in Togo, its first in the country, at a cost of US$60m. When operational, it will bring Togo’s installed capacity to 5.7Mt/yr – 1.7Mt of it grinding only – and grind clinker from Nigeria and Togo. Agence Ecofin has reported that the sum is part of a raft of investments by Dangote Group in the country totalling US$3.47m and involving infrastructure and phosphate fertiliser production projects.

Argentina: Loma Negra’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation fell to US$150m for the first nine months of 2019, down by 6.0% from US$160m in the nine months to 30 September 2019. Loma Negra CEO Sergio Faifman said that political turmoil precipitated ‘high financial and economic volatility that eroded the incipient recovery previously observed in some of the macroeconomic variables.’ Volumes of cement and concrete fell in Argentina and Paraguay. Profit for the period fell to US$32m, down from US$34m by 6.1% year-on-year.

Italy: In the nine months to 30 September 2019, Buzzi Unicem’s net sales rose by 13.4% year-on-year to Euro2.42bn from Euro2.14bn. Cement volumes rose 5.7% to 22.1Mt from 20.9Mt in the corresponding period of 2018. The company said that “Growth was continually mitigated by weakened manufacturing activity due to reduced investments and political and economic uncertainty.”

Germany: After five years’ transport planning and dispatch management, Heidelberg’s Inform software has received an update. The new version features an improved user interface and decision-making engine with upgraded algorithms to increase truck fleet productivity. HeidelbergCement’s Head of Logistics Germany Silvio Günther said “On-time delivery and flexibility are vital to our cement customers. Inform’s software allows our cement customer service centre to react quickly.”