September 2024
Russia: Asia Cement intends to swap its US$86.5m debt to Vnesheconombank (VEB) for a 49% stake, the Kommersant newspaper has reported. VEB will also provide Asia Cement with a loan to help it refinance two loans, worth a total of US$259.6m. The source quoted by the newspaper said that the swap of the debt for equity was a technical transaction aimed at reducing the company's debt burden. Asia Cement operates a cement plant in the Penza region.
Canada: The Cement Association of Canada has become a member of the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) as a strategic partner. The CPLC is a voluntary initiative that supports and encourages the implementation of carbon pricing around the world. It was initiated by the World Bank at the 2014 United Nations Climate Change Summit in New York City and officially launched in 2015 at COP21 in Paris.
“Well designed carbon pricing systems can drive innovation and prepare companies and communities to prosper in a competitive, low carbon and climate resilient economy,” said Michael McSweeney, President and CEO, Cement Association of Canada. “We have long advocated for carbon pricing in Canada and globally and are eager to continue our work with the federal and provincial governments to help them design and implement climate policies that support the goals of the Paris Agreement, protect and enhance the competitiveness of the domestic industry and promote alignment on carbon pricing among our trading partners.”
Department of Trade and Industry ask Philippines cement producers to explain price disparity 18 July 2016
Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has asked cement producers to explain differences in cement prices in certain areas of the country. Price monitoring by the DTI has spotted discrepancies between the high price of cement in Region XII, specifically in Cotabato City, and the National Capitol Region compared to a relative low price in Cebu since January 2016, according to the Philippines Star newspaper.
The DTI has asked cement producers, including Holcim Philippines, Eagle Cement Corp., Lafarge Republic and Cemex Philippines to respond about the prices of their local brands Holcim Excel, Advance, Republic, and Rizal and Apo, respectively. Cement traders such as Bojourno Trading, Summit Koncrete Products and Cohaco Merchandising & Development have also been requested to submit their response for the prices of the imported Halong, Thang Long and Conch cement brands.
Lafarge Africa launches academy for truck drivers 18 July 2016
Nigeria: Lafarge Africa has launched an academy to train truck driver safety and fleet management. The launch event took place at the Ewekoro cement plant in Ogun state. The logistics academy is a follow-up project to a road safety project and drivers academy previously established by the cement producer to ensure sound safety culture, process efficiency and good performance among truck drivers, according to the Nigerian Guardian newspaper.
Kidnapped Indian cement workers released in Nigeria 18 July 2016
Nigeria: Two Indian nationals working for Dangote Cement who were kidnapped at the end of June 2016 have been released. The workers were abducted from Boko, near Makurdi in Benue state while they were travelling to work. The External Affairs Ministry said in a statement that they believed that local criminals were involved and that there was no interaction with the terrorist group Boko Harem.
Four workers injured at ACC cement plant in Sindri 18 July 2016
India: Four contract workers have been injured by an explosion at an ACC cement plant in Sindri, Jharkhand. Sindri deputy superintendent of police Vikash Kumar Pandey told the Hindustan Times that a cylinder in the fine coal crusher plant exploded, probably due to extra pressure generated by the hot air generator attached to the crusher. The injured workers have been taken to Bokaro General Hospital where their conditions are said to be critical. ACC has stopped production at the plant to conduct a internal inquiry into the incident.
Dangote Cement builds distribution presence in Ghana 15 July 2016
Ghana: Dangote Cement plans to recruit 5000 workers following its procurement of 1000 trucks to distribute its products. The cement producer has started recruiting drivers, truck driver assistants and loaders. The vehicles arrived in Ghana in early July 2016, according to the Lagos Guardian. The drive to build its distribution network complements the company’s on-going efforts to build a 1.5Mt/yr clinker grinding plant in Takoradi.
Algeria: Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal has laid the first stone at a cement plant being built at Sigus, Oum El Bouaghi by the Industrial Public Group of Cements of Algeria (GICA). Sellal said that his country had invested significantly in the cement sector and that Algeria should being exporting cement by 2019, according to the Algeria Press Service.
Polysius SAS France, a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp, won the contract to build the cement plant in October 2015 on a budget of over Euro310m. The plant will have a production capacity of 2.2Mt/yr and it will start production in Febraury 2019.
Mozambique: Cement production capacity in Mozambique is expected to increase to 5.3Mt/yr by the end of 2016, up from 2Mt/yr, with the opening of three new cement plants. CIF-Moz and Limak Cements will be opening plants in the southern province of Maputo and Fabrica Cimentos de Cabo Delgado will be opening a plant in the north of the country. CIF-Moz is owned by the China International Fund and Limak Cements is owned by the Turkish company Limak Holding.
At the end of June 2016 the Mozambican government introduced new regulations covering the production and importation of cement. This included a surcharge of 10.5% on imports. Other forms of protection included in the new regulations cover certification requirements such as packaging and expiry dates.
The country has 11 cement plants with the main supplier being Cimentos de Mocambique which has production facilities in Maputo, Sofala, and Nampula. Cimentos de Mocambique is 82.4% owned by Brazil’s InterCement. The other cement producers are S and S Cimentos, Sunera, Cimentos Nacional, Adil Cimentos, Austral Cimentos, Cimentos da Beira and Maputo Cement and Steel.
Lucky Cement to build new US$190m cement plant 14 July 2016
Pakistan: Lucky Cement has decided to spend US$190m towards building a new 2.3Mt/yr cement plant at Chakwal in Punjab province. The cement producer is currently working with the provincial government to acquire land for the project and it is finalising a contract for the equipment supplier. It is expected that the plant will be commissioned by the end of 2018. It will be Lucky Cement’s third cement plant in Pakistan, according to the Daily Times newspaper.