September 2024
Sri Lanka: The Industry and Commerce Ministry has expressed its interest in buying the local operations of LafargeHolcim. Government sources have said that discussions are now on-going within the administration. The multinational cement producer announced in early June 2016 that it was selling its subsidiary Holcim Lanka. The company was originally state-owned before it was privatised.
"The government is willing to negotiate to buy it at a reasonable price. This is the only integrated cement plant in Sri Lanka. The limestone quarry in Puttalam belongs to the Cement Corporation and it had been leased out to Holcim," said a spokesman of the ministry quoted by the Daily News newspaper. He added that no final decision on the matter has been taken yet. The government also hopes that, if it successfully purchased the company, it could reduce the price of cement in the country.
Local press reports that seven bidders have made offers for Holcim Lanka. These include companies from UAE, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Sri Lanka. Holcim Lanka’s assets include two packing plants in Galle and Trincomalee, a cement plant in Puttalam and a cement grinding plant in Galle.
Germany: Stefan Puntke has become the managing director of Refratechnik Cement, replacing Wolfgang Tabbert. Puntke’s previous role has been taken by Christian Meyre, effective from 1 June 2016. The announcement was made at the 14th REFRA-Kolloquium held on 31 May to 3 June 2016 in Berlin.
Tabbert has worked for the company for more than 30 years, five of them as sales manager and 13 years as managing director. He will continue to act as consultant for Refratechnik Cement for a period to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibilities.
Meyre holds management experience in the international cement industry, particularly in North America.
Mexico: Corporacion Moctezuma has announced that Fabrizio Donega will become its new general director from 3 October 2016. Donega will replace Pedro Carranza Andresen, who is due to retire after 10 years working for the corporation. Corporacion Moctezuma was formed in 1982 from the merger of Cementos Moctezuma and Concretos Moctezuma.
India: Parth Jindal has been appointed as Managing Director of JSW Cement. He will assume the position in July 2016 and will be assisted by Anil Kumar Pillai as CEO, according the Business Line.
Jindal is the son of Sjjan Jindal, the chairman of JSW Group. The 25-year old has worked previous as an Economic Analyst for JSW Steel amongst other positions in the group. He is also the chief executive of the group's sport company, which owns Bangalore Football Club.
Sika opens second admixtures plant in Thailand 14 June 2016
Thailand: Sika has inaugurated a new mortars and concrete admixtures plant in Saraburi. The plant has a production capacity of 100,000t/yr of mortars and 65,000t/yr of concrete admixtures. The unit also includes warehouse and an office. It is the additives and admixtures company’s second such plant in the country.
"After our existing plant in Chonburi reached its limits, we consequently invested in additional production capacities. The new plant will enable us to maintain our strong growth in Thailand in terms of production volume, sales and market share. South East Asia is one of the regions where Sika generates some of its highest growth rates and we are well positioned to continue this positive development," said Heinz Gisel, Regional Manager Asia-Pacific.
Holcim Romania extends its range of bagged cements 14 June 2016
Romania: Holcim Romania has extended its range of bagged cements to better address the needs of the local market. Its new bagged range comprises: Structo Plus 40 kg, Structo Plus 20kg, Structo 40kg, Extra Dur 52 40kg and Tenco 40kg. They have been chosen to meet customer demands for aesthetics, shorter setting time, lower costs, higher strength and durability.
“The new range of cement bags is the best proof of how Holcim Romania understands and contributes for the development of the construction sector, by implementing and offering innovation and sustainability in the market through tailored and cost-effective solutions,” said Sofiane Benmaghnia, CEO Holcim Romania.
Production to restart at Miskolc cement plant 14 June 2016
Hungary: Hejocsabai Cement es Meszmu (HCM) has released plans to restart production at its Miskolc plant. Production is expected to start between the end of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017. Up to 340 jobs are expected to be created as a result. The company has already received a government permit to resume its activities.
LafargeHolcim to sell assets in nine more countries 14 June 2016
Switzerland: LafargeHolcim plans to sell assets in nine additional countries as part of its post-merger divestment programme, according to the Financial Times. The announcement follows a portfolio review. However, LafargeHolcim did not name the locations of the proposed sales. In March 2016 the group released details of sales in South Korea and Saudi Arabia and plans to merge its operations in Morocco. This followed plans to generate Euro3.16bn from divestments in 2016.
South Africa: PPC’s revenue has fallen slightly, by 1% year-on-year, to US$293m in the first six months that ended on 31 March 2016 from US$296m in the same period in 2015. The group’s operating profit fell by 3% to US$47.7m from US$49.2m. It attributed the fall in revenue to lower selling prices of cement in South Africa and falling revenues in Zimbabwe and Botswana.
By business line, PPC’s cement division in South Africa reported that its revenue fell by 5% to US$155m. It noted that cement volumes improved ‘marginally’ due to sales volume growth in the coastal regions following reduced imports and demand from infrastructure projects. However, inland provinces such as a Gauteng and the Limpopo area were negatively affected to increased competition. Outside of South Africa its cement division’s revenue rose by 6% to US$85.5m. Despite sales declines in Zimbabwe and Botswana, the group’s new 0.6Mt/yr plant in Rwanda was commissioned in the second half of 2015.
The group’s lime division also reported that its revenue in all territories fell by 12% to US$24.9m.
The group also provided an update on its on-going projects. A US$280m 1Mt/yr cement plant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was reported 83% complete in March 2016 with ‘hot’ commissioning scheduled for late 2016. A US$85m cement mill in Harare, Zimbabwe was reported 70% complete in March 2016 with plant commissioned planned for the end of 2016. Finally, a US$170m 1.4Mt/yr cement plant in Ethiopia remains scheduled to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2017.
Indonesia: Semen Indonesia is planning to spend up to US$100m in 2016 to buy foreign cement companies outside of Indonesia to grow its revenue, a company official has told Reuters. Agung Wiharto, the company's corporate secretary, attributed the move to local competition. He didn’t mention which countries the cement producer is considering. Semen Indonesia’s revenue fell slightly year-on-year to US$2.01bn in 2015.