September 2024
Holcim Liban net profits down 78% in first half of 2015 08 September 2015
Lebanon: Holcim Liban has reported US$2m of unaudited net profits in the first half of 2015, a decrease of 78.3% from net earnings of US$9.4m in the same period of 2014. The company's sales fell by 28.5% year-on-year to US$66.7m in the first half of 2015. Its gross profits margin reached 28% compared to 30.7% in the first half of 2014. Holcim Liban's assets fell by 3% year-on-year to US$275m at the end of June 2015
Volcan could sell Polpaico stake 08 September 2015
Chile/Peru: Peruvian mining company Volcan could sell its share in Chilean cement producer Polpaico if metal prices continue to fall, according to Volcan's CFO Jorge Murillo. Volcan could receive around US$27m for its approximate 20% stake in the business. Holcim, part of LafargeHolcim, owns 54.3% of Polpaico, which has 2.7Mt/yr of cement production capacity.
Senj Sant cement plant opens in Mongolia 08 September 2015
Mongolia: The Senj Sant cement plant was opened on 13 August 2015 in Urgun Soum, Dornogovi, some 450km from the capital Ulaanbaatar, according to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The plant will be the first greenfield cement plant in Mongolia to use the dry process, which is especially significant in the Gobi region, where water is scarce. The plant will also use a waste heat recovery power plant, which will help save energy and water.
The project includes a gender action plan, which means there will be more opportunities for women. Most of the directors of Senj Sant are women. The plant will be overseen by Munkhnasan Narmandakh, the female CEO of its parent holding company, Monpolymet Group, one of Mongolia's leading mining operations. The holding company has an all-female board of directors.
The EBRD provided a financing package of US$85m, which consisted of a US$20m equity investment and a US$65m loan to Senj Sant. The Development Bank of Mongolia lent US$65m. The remaining US$80m of the total project cost of US$230m was funded by the Monpolymet Group.
"This project will be a major step towards establishing domestic cement supply and replacing imports. It is also important for the country's economic diversification," said the EBRD's senior banker in charge of the project, Azjargal Ulziitogtokh. "The EBRD is proud to highlight that the project meets EU requirements and will be using best available technology. Personally, as a Mongolian female professional, I am also very pleased to say that the company has a gender action plan to ensure equal opportunities, which goes beyond industry standards, not only in Mongolia but in the whole region where the EBRD works."
To date, the EBRD has committed over US$1bn to Mongolia's economy. All of the Bank's projects so far have supported private sector companies.
Ras Al Khaimah Cement reports lower first half profit 07 September 2015
UAE: Ras Al Khaimah Cement Company has reported a decline in its net profit for the first half of 2015 to US$0.67m from US$0.86m in the same period of 2014.
BUA Group to double capacity and expand across Africa 07 September 2015
Nigeria: Nigerian conglomerate BUA Group has signed US$600m worth of contracts with China's Sinoma International Engineering Co. to double capacity at its flagship cement plant as it seeks to expand market share in Africa's biggest economy.
BUA plans to double the capacity of its Obu cement plant which currently has a capacity of 3.5Mt/yr, with completion expected in 2017. The contract was signed at Sinomas offices in China.
Executive chairman Abdulsamad Rabiu said, "BUA has less than 10% of the market share now but afterwards we should go to about 20%. Rabiu said that BUA, like Nigeria's largest cement producer Dangote Cement, was planning a continent-wide expansion.
Reliance Cement sells online 04 September 2015
India: Reliance Cement Company has announced that it will start to sell cement online. Atul Desai, Chief Marketing Officer of the company, said, "With this move, Reliance Cement has become one of the first e-commerce cement companies in India. In line with our consistent efforts to provide superior product and services to our customers, e-retailing is the latest next-generation customer friendly initiative."
The 'e-retailing' facility is available for a minimum order of 25 bags that will be delivered to the customer within 48 hours. Desai said that Reliance Cement has emerged as a premium brand in major cities of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Initially, the 'e-retailing' facility will be available in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Shree Cement to set up 2.8Mt/yr plant 04 September 2015
India: Shree Cement is setting up a 2.8Mt/yr cement plant at Sikandrabad in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. The plant will also include a 18MW captive power plant.
Lucky mine expansion 04 September 2015
Pakistan: Lucky Cement is close to winning a permit to extract limestone in Punjab province, signaling expansion plans by the nation's largest maker of the building material. An agreement is expected to be signed in the next few days, according to Arshad Mehmood, secretary for Punjab's mines and minerals department.
Lucky Cement is the third cement producer in Pakistan to have announced expansions after Attock Cement and D G Khan Cement earlier acted on signs that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is looking to boost infrastructure spending. "Everything is positive for construction," said Bilal Khan, analyst at Karachi-based Global Securities Pakistan. "If growth stays at the same pace, those who decide to expand today are the winners."
Grupo de Oro and LafargeHolcim launch Holcim Fuerte brand in Mexico 03 September 2015
Mexico: Grupo de Oro and LafargeHolcim Mexico have strengthened their strategic partnership with the launch of Holcim Fuerte branded cement in 2015. The development of the new product commenced in 2012 and has been tested in different projects prior to its commercialisation. The new cement is targeted for builders laying foundations and reinforcing walls and beams, according to Quadratin.
Ghana Cement Manufacturing Association approves of import tax rise 03 September 2015
Ghana: The Ghana Cement Manufacturing Association (GCMA) has approved of a government customs decision to increase the cost and freight value of imported bagged cement into the country. The valuation of Freight on Board (FOB) for the import of bagged cement has been increased to US$60/t from US$25/t, according to GCMA Chairman and Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of Ghacem, George Dawson-Ahmoah.
"We are appealing to international cement manufacturing companies who know the international cement market trade to abide by fair trade practices to safeguard the industry, because it has consequences like workers losing their jobs, lower taxes to the government and folding-up of local cement companies — which would be disastrous for the nation," said Dawson-Ahmoah to local media.
Dawson-Ahmoah said that the GCMA was not expecting any value less than US$80/t to cover cost and freight of imported cement from China to Ghana. He added that the country's local cement industry has a 2Mt/yr surplus of cement production capacity following expansion projects. Since lobbying the government on this issue the GCMA has been monitoring movement of imported bagged cement and will continue to insist on fair trade practices.