September 2024
Buzzi reports on improved 2017 12 February 2018
Italy: The Board of Directors of Buzzi has approved the preliminary accounts for 2017, which see sales of cement at 26.8Mt, an increase of 4.4%, and consolidated revenues of Euro2.67bn, an increase of 5.1% year-on-year.
In Italy, Buzzi’s position benefited from the takeover of Zillo Group, which helped to raise clinker and cement volumes by 19.3%. However, average selling prices were down ‘siginificantly’ year-on-year. Overall consolidated sales were up by 14.0% year-on-year at Euro428m. Consolidated sales would have increased by 2% in the absence of the Zillo acquisition.
In Germany, cement sales were up by 4.5%, with total sales of Euro588m, a 2.7% year-on-year rise. In Luxembourg and the Netherlands, cement sales were also up by 4.5% year-on-year at Euro187m.
Sales were also improved in Poland (+0.7%), Czechia (+8.2%), Russia (+1.5%), the USA (+0.2%) and Mexico (12.7%), while they declined in Ukraine (-1.5%).
National Cement reports decline in profits 12 February 2018
UAE: National Cement Company (NCC) has reported a decline in its profit to US$14.59m in the full year 2017 from US$24.24m in 2016. Revenues also fell to US$55.77m from US$64.11m.
Start of 2018 shows further declines in Brazil 12 February 2018
Brazil: According to data from Brazil's national cement industry union SNIC, domestic cement sales in January 2018 were down by 0.1% compared to January 2017, at 4.33Mt. However, average sales per working day increased by 0.2% in the same comparison. Apparent consumption in the period stood at 4.4Mt, down by 0.5% from January 2017. The results for the period were in line with SNIC's expectations, with sales forecast to drop in the first quarter 2018, before seeing growth in the second quarter 2018.
In the 12 months ending January 2018 domestic sales saw an accumulated 6.2% drop, in comparison with the previous 12 month period, at 53.77Mt. SNIC forecasts a 1-2% increase in cement sales in 2018.
Eagle Materials records record revenues 12 February 2018
US: Eagle Materials has reported its financial results for the third quarter of the 2018 fiscal year, which ended on 31 December 2017. It recorded record revenues of US$359.4m, a rise of 19% compared to the same period of the 2017 fiscal year
Third quarter gross profit improved by 8%, reflecting the financial results of the recently acquired cement plant in Fairborn, Ohio and related assets (the Fairborn Business) and improved net sales prices across most of Eagle’s businesses. Cement, Concrete and Aggregates Cement revenues for the third quarter, including joint venture and intersegment revenues, totalled US$161.6m, 17% higher than the same quarter last year. Total cement sales volumes for the quarter were 1.3Mt, 12% greater than the same quarter a year earlier. Like-for-like average net cement sales prices increased by 4% and sales volumes declined by 2%, respectively, versus the third quarter of fiscal 2017. This comparison excludes cement sales from the Fairborn Business since its acquisition date.
Operating earnings from cement activities for the third quarter of the 2018 fiscal year were a record US$52.5m and were 16% greater than the same quarter a year ago. The earnings improvement was driven primarily by earnings from the Fairborn Business and improved average net cement sales prices offset by lower sales volumes from Eagle’s legacy facilities.
Vietnam exports 2.9Mt of cement in January alone 12 February 2018
Vietnam: Vietnam exported 2.9Mt of cement and clinker worth US$101.1m in January 2018, a 32.3% compared to January 2017 in volume terms and 30.3% more in value terms, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. Bangladesh, the Philippines, Peru, Mozambique, Malaysia and Taiwan remained the biggest importers of Vietnamese cement and clinker in the month, the department added.
At present, Vietnam has 82 cement production lines with a combined capacity of 97.6Mt/yr. The Vietnam Cement Association (VNCA) has warned that Vietnam will face a glut of 25-36Mt/yr of cement by 2020 as production completely outstrips national demand.
Birla Corporation records significant improvement 12 February 2018
India: Birla Corporation has declared its results for the quarter and nine months that ended on 31 December 2017. The consolidated results include the financials of Reliance Cement Company Private Limited (RCCPL), a wholly-owned material subsidiary of the Company.
The corporation made 3.06Mt in the third quarter, a 22% rise compared to the same period of 2016-2017. In the nine months to 31 December 2017 it produced 9.1Mt of cement, a 11.9% increase year-on-year. It despatched 3.04Mt of cement compared to 2.49Mt in the quarter and 8.98Mt in the nine month period, a 12% rise year-on-year.
In financial terms it took in US$215m in gross sales during the quarter, a 12.7% rise year-on-year. In the nine month period it took in US$667m, a 27.8% rise. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the three months were US$23.6m and for the nine months they were US$93.0m.
Cemex earnings drop in 2017 due to US market 09 February 2018
Mexico: Cemex’s operating earnings have fallen in 2017 due to a lower contribution from the US and South America despite growth in Mexico and Europe. Its operating earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 7% year-on-year to US$2.57bn in 2017 from US$2.75bn in 2016. Its net sales grew by 2% to US$13.7bn from US$13.4bn and its cement sales volumes remained stable at 68.5Mt. The cement producer also reported an unexpected loss in net income of US$105m in the fourth quarter of the year, which it blamed on taxes on other costs.
“Although 2017 was a challenging year… We had important headwinds during the year: underperformance in Colombia, Egypt and the Philippines as well as increased energy costs, mainly in Mexico. As we have done in the past, we focused on the variables we control to dampen these headwinds and we continued to deliver solid results,” said Fernando A Gonzalez, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cemex.
President inaugurates US$280m National Cement plant in Kenya 09 February 2018
Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta has inaugurated National Cement’s US$280m integrated plant in Kajiado County. The clinker plant has a production capacity of 1.2Mt/yr and it set to employ 700 workers, according to the Agence de Presse Africaine. The plant also includes a 15MW captive power plant.
Chip Mong Insee Cement launches Kampot plant 09 February 2018
Cambodia: Chip Mong Insee Cement has launched its new plant in Kampot province. Prime Minister Hun Sen in the Banteay Meas district of Kampot attended the event, according to the Phnom Penh Post. The US$262m plant has a cement production capacity of 5000/day or nearly 2Mt/yr. The plant is a joint venture between Chip Mong Group, which owns 60% of the shares, and Thailand’s Siam City Cement. The project is intended to meet growing demand for cement in the country.
LafargeHolcim cement plants in the US awarded Energy Star 09 February 2018
US: Two LafargeHolcim US cement plants have been awarded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star award. The EPA recognised the Holly Hill plant in South Carolina and the Devil’s Slide plant in Morgan, Utah.
“Receiving the Energy Star award this year at two sites is an affirmation of the hard work all our employees are devoting every day to meeting our environmental goals,” said John Stull, chief executive officer (CEO), US Cement.
This recognition is the eighth time the EPA has awarded both the Holly Hill and Devil’s Slide plants with the Energy Star award since 2009.