29 November 2023

Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) recorded sales of US$3.62bn during the third quarter of 2023. This represents a fall of 12% year-on-year. Business World News has reported that the producer attributes the decline to the on-going ‘slow economic revival’ in Southeast Asia. Nonetheless, chief executive officer Roongrote Rangsiyopash said that he expects growth to accelerate, especially in Indonesia, where construction of the new capital city, Nusantara, is underway in East Kalimantan. SCG reported a third-quarter operating profit of US$86.9m, up by 26% year-on-year.

Rangsiyopash said “SCG has continuously adjusted its business strategy and has operated with caution and prudence, thereby maintaining financial stability.”

Ethiopia: Lemi National Cement Factory’s construction of its upcoming Lemi cement plant is 70% complete and will conclude in time for inauguration of the plant on schedule in early 2024. Ethiopian News Agency has reported that construction of the 8Mt/yr plant’s preheater frames and rotary kilns finished on 28 November 2023. China-based Sinoma International Engineering is carrying out the project, which has a total cost of US$600m. Lemi National Cement Factory is a joint venture of local conglomerate East African Holding and West China Cement subsidiary West International Holding.

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Cement Company awarded a US$34.8m contract to China-based Sinoma Energy Conservation to install a waste heat recovery (WHR) plant at its 3.7Mt/yr Riyadh cement plant. The installation will have a power generation capacity of 12.6MW.

India: JK Lakshmi Cement has obtained environmental clearance to mine up to 2.5Mt/yr of limestone from it Kachchh mine in Gujarat. The producer says that it plans to invest US$24m in expanding its operations at the site.

Germany: Schaeffler and Vitesco Technologies Group have agreed to combine their businesses through the merger of Vitesco Technologies Group into Schaeffler. Following the completion of the transaction before the end of 2024, the equipment suppliers will create a new motion technology company to continue to serve their customers across four divisions.

Schaeffler chief executive officer Klaus Rosenfeld said “At Schaeffler, we are fully convinced that both companies ideally complement each other and will thus be stronger together. We are pleased that, after intense and, in part, for both sides, challenging discussions, we came to a business combination agreement, which now lays the ground for a swift and effective integration.”

Bolivia: The Permanent Court of Arbitration has found itself ‘without jurisdiction’ to resolve a claim by Consorcio Cementero del Sur, Grupo de Inversiones Gloria Bolivia, SOBOCE and Yura Inversiones Bolivia against the Bolivian government over the nationalisation of a stake in FANCESA. Local press has reported that Bolivian Attorney General’s Office welcomed the finding as a ‘resolution of the case in favour of the Bolivian state.’

Vietnam: Cement plants produced 110Mt of cement during the 11-month period up to the end of November 2023, Việt Nam News has reported. The government’s General Statistics Office recorded a 4.5% year-on-year drop in national production volumes of cement in the year to date.

Australia/UAE: Industrial CO₂ emissions reduction research body Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre (HILT CRC) has received an invitation to attend COP28. HILT CRC said that the invitation reflects the importance of collaborative research for the decarbonisation of Australia’s heavy industries, including cement.

Chief executive officer Jenny Selway said “Decarbonising heavy industries is a core aspect of cutting down on global emissions to limit global warming to well below 2°C. The low-carbon technology transition in heavy industry is vital for our future: it will ensure we build sustainable industries and create new opportunities for Australia’s economy.”

France: Refractories supplier Calderys has announced the launch of its new brand platform following its integration of HWI (formerly HarbisonWalker International) earlier in 2023. The platform is comprised of four values, reflecting the personality of Calderys’ company culture, namely accountability, authenticity, multiculturalism and tenacity.

Chief people officer Melissa Bihary and global vice president communications Aurélie de Chassey-Hayot said “These new values and the overall platform have been developed through an employee-led exercise. Therefore, they truly define the essence of who we are and how we do business. They guide our actions and behaviors and help us make the best decisions for the benefit of our customers.”