September 2024
Vietnam cement sales rise in first nine months of 2017 11 October 2017
Vietnam: Vietnam sold 59.3Mt of cement in the first nine months of 2017, a rise of 6% compared to the same period of 2016. The country has now fulfilled 74.1% of its whole-year plan, according to the Ministry of Construction. 45.3Mt of cement was sold domestically, a 4% rise year-on-year, while 14.0Mt of cement was exported.
In September 2017, the country’s cement sales rose by 9.4% compared to August 2017 to 6.7Mt, comprising 5.2Mt of domestic sales and 1.5Mt of exports. As of September 2017, Vietnam had 3.0Mt of cement and clinker inventory, most of which is clinker.
At present, Vietnam’s cement capacity is 86Mt/yr but domestic demand is estimated at 60Mt/yr, a surplus of 26Mt/yr, according to the Vietnam National Cement Association (VCNA).
Gezhouba Shieli invites investors for Kazakh project 11 October 2017
Kazakhstan: Gezhouba Shieli Cement Company LLC is now inviting international banks and financial institutions to support the construction of its planned cement production plant in Kyzylorda region, Kazakhstan, according to Li Jinqing, the company's general manager. Gezhouba Shieli is a thee-party joint venture (JV) between China Gezhouba Group Corporation Limited (CGGC) (50%), China Gezhouba Group Overseas Investment Co., Ltd (20%), a subsidiary of CGGC, and a local cement company (30%).
The cement production line will require a total investment of around US$200m, of which 70% will be funded through bank loans. At present, CGGC is actively in communication with some Chinese banks and financial institutions, including Export-Import Bank of China (EIBC) and China Development Bank Corporation (CDB). The plant is designed to have a production capacity of 2500t/day. It is expected to be operational by the end of 2018.
China Triumph International Engineering Co Ltd (CTIEC) won the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract in April 2017, while its subsidiary Beijing Triumph International Engineering Co., Ltd will take responsibility for design work, according to Qian Yingchun, the project leader at CTIEC. More equipment will be required as construction progresses.
INC sales rise in first nine months 11 October 2017
Paraguay: Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) sold 9.85 million bags of cement in the first nine months of 2017, representing 74.6% of its total sales in 2016. The aim is to achieve sales of at least 13.5 million bags in 2017, up from 13.2 million bags sold in 2016.
INC’s sales were boosted by a new mill and a new dryer in Villeta. The firm will also be able to use alternative fuels in its kiln from late 2017. The plant will increase its capacity by 45% and will shortly issue a US$500,000 tender for a new cement packing plant at its plant in Villeta to achieve this.
National Committee for Cement Companies says Saudi Arabian market only needs four producers 10 October 2017
Saudi Arabia: Jihad Al Rashid, the head of the Saudi National Committee for Cement Companies, has said that the local market only needs four large cement producers. He added that the industry does not need the 17 cement companies it has at present, according to the Al Eqtisadiah newspaper. The owners and shareholders of these companies are ‘seriously’ considering merger options. Al Rashid also said that the government and consumers would benefit from a consolidated industry.
Libyan Cement Company inspects Benghazi cement plants 10 October 2017
Libya: British consultants on behalf of the Libyan Cement Company have met with the Benghazi Mayor Abdelrahman Al-Abaar in order to help restart two cement plants in Benghazi and Hawari. Work is due to commence on removing land mines from the sites as well as an assessment of damage caused to the units from fighting that took place in 2016, according to the Libya Herald newspaper. The Libyan Cement Company announced that it was going to reopen the plants in May 2017.
Dangote Cement strikes deal with Zambia Railways 10 October 2017
Zambia: Dangote Cement Zambia has contracted Zambia Railways to transport 2000t/month of cement and 500t/month of coal. Zambia Railways is transporting cement from Ndola to Lusaka and coal from Batoka to Ndola on behalf of Dangote Cement, according to the Times of Zambia newspaper. The cement producer operates a 1.5Mt/yr integrated plant in the country with 1200 employees and a fleet of over 500 trucks. It also runs a 30MW coal power plant.
Dangote Cement withdraws from PPC bid 09 October 2017
South Africa: Dangote Cement has formerly withdrawn from the bidding process for PPC. The Nigerian cement producer confirmed it was in talks with PPC in mid-September 2017 following an offer by Fairfax Financial Holdings.
Lafarge Syria alleged to have paid armed groups up to US$100,000/month to keep cement plant running 09 October 2017
France: Lafarge Cement Syria allegedly paid up to US$100,000/month to armed groups including US$20,000 to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. Former plant manager Bruno Pescheux told investigators that the money went via local businessman Firas Tlass, who was a former minority shareholder in the cement plant, according to the Agence France Presse. Witnesses in the French judicial inquiry have also described false accounting methods used to disguise oil purchases from IS, travel documents allowing Lafarge trucks to move in the region and a planned meeting between IS and a Lafarge Cement Syria security official. The inquiry continues.
Summit Materials makes US$3.8bn counter bid for Ash Grove Cement 06 October 2017
US: Summit Materials has offered US$3.8bn to buy Ash Grove Cement, according to Reuters. The board of Ash Grove Cement has described the proposal as ‘superior’ to the US$3.5bn bid made by Ireland’s CRH in September 2017. It has extended its so-called ‘shop window’ consideration period with CRH to 20 October 2017.
Pioneer Cement signs deal to buy Galadari Cement 06 October 2017
Pakistan: Pioneer Cement has signed a memorandum of understanding to buy Galadari Cement (Gulf). Galadari Cement has been building its plant at Hub Choki in Balochistan since 1998, according to the News International newspaper. The unit is 50% complete. No amount for the sale has been disclosed but it is estimated to be around US$66m.