September 2024
Cemex reports sales growth in 2015 23 July 2015
Mexico: Cemex's consolidated net sales in the second quarter of 2015 grew by 5% year-on-year on a like-for-like basis for ongoing operations and adjusting for currency fluctuations to US$3.8bn. Its operating earnings before income, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 1% during the quarter to US$744m. On a like-for-like basis, operating EBITDA increased by 13%.
The increase in consolidated net sales on a like-for-like basis was due to higher product prices in local currency terms in most of its operations, as well as improved volumes in most of its products in Mexico, the US, and the northern Europe and Asia regions.
Cemex's net sales in Mexico decreased by 9% in the second quarter of 2015 to US$745m while its operating EBITDA increased by 4% to US$256m. In the US, its net sales grew by 5% year-on-year to US$1.01bn and its operating EBITDA increased by 31% to US$156m. In northern Europe, net sales for the second quarter of 2015 fell by 21% to US$904m and its operating EBITDA fell by 8% year-on-year to US$111m. In the Mediterranean region its net sales fell by 9% to US$409m as its Operating EBITDA fell by 25% to US$75m. Cemex's net sales from operations in South, Central America and the Caribbean fell by 8% year-on-year to US$517m and its operating EBITDA fell by 10% to US$160m. In Asia, net sales grew by 11% year-on-year to US$177m and operating EBITDA was up by 34% year-on-year to US$45m.
"We are pleased with our results. Our controlling interest net income during the quarter was the highest in six years. In addition, our operating EBITDA grew by 13% on a like-fir-like basis. This is the third quarter with double-digit, like-for-like growth in EBITDA," said Fernando A Gonzalez, Cemex CEO.
Europe: In accordance with Article 20 of the Federal Act on Stock Exchanges and Securities Trading (Stock Exchange Act), LafargeHolcim Ltd was informed by Schweizerische Cement-Industrie-Gesellschaft (Thomas Schmidheiny), Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (Jacqueline Desmarais, André Desmarais, Paul Desmarais Jr, Albert Frère), Eurocement Holding AG (Filaret Galchev-Kaltsidis), NNS Jersey Trust (Nassef Sawiris), Dodge & Cox and Harbor Funds about their number of voting rights and of the registered share capital they hold in LafargeHolcim Ltd as of 15 July 2015. The data is as follows:
- Schweizerische Cement-Industrie-Gesellschaft (Thomas Schmidheiny): 11.872%;
- Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (Jacqueline Desmarais, André Desmarais, Paul Desmarais Jr, Albert Frère): 9.84%;
- Eurocement Holding AG (Filaret Galchev-Kaltsidis): 6.38%;
- NNS Jersey Trust (Nassef Sawiris): 4.97% (3.99% in reg. shares);
- Dodge & Cox: 3.41%;
- Harbor Funds: 1.8609%.
Tamil Nadu's subsidised cement scheme attracted negative attention this week when a prominent Indian politician called for it to be investigated. PMK party founder S Ramadoss alleged in a statement covered by Indian press that cement from the scheme is either being not being procured at the levels the state government are declaring or it is being sold on the black market.
Without investigating Ramadoss' comments too deeply in this article the Amma scheme does deserve looking at along with the pressures that have created it in the Indian cement market. The scheme takes its name from the nickname, Amma or mother, of the current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa. It follows previous populist subsidy schemes such as Amma Vegetables, Amma Water and Amma Theatres. As such it is exactly the kind of initiative you might expect a rival politician might criticise.
The scheme was created in mid-2014 to cope with fluctuating cement prices in the state. At that time Tamil Nadu consumed 1.7 – 1.8Mt/month of cement and around 400,000 – 450,000t was supplied by Andhra Pradesh. Subsequently prices rose in the neighbouring state, the purchases from Andhra Pradesh fell to 150,000 – 300,000t/month and the price went up in Tamil Nadu. The Amma Cement Scheme was created in response. It was intended to purchase 200,000t/month from private manufacturers. This would then be sold in eligibility bands with limits on the number of cement bags that could be bought dependent on size and type of project.
When the scheme launched in January 2015 the Times of India saw it as a politically canny move that would benefit middle-income rural citizens who could afford to build their own homes. Urban residents are less likely to build their own homes and so they wouldn't use the scheme as much. For example, at the start of the scheme sales in one rural district massively overtook sales in the city of Chennai.
Looking nationally, in July 2015 the Cement Manufacturers' Association (CMA) cried out that 100Mt/yr of India's production capacity was not being used due to supply and demand mismatching. It placed the value of this 'dead investment' at US$8.66bn. At present, the CMA places installed capacity at 380Mt/yr and utilisation at 275Mt/yr (70%). Previously utilisation was 94% in 2007 – 2008. Locally, Global Cement Magazine placed cement production capacity in Tamil Nadu at 33.9Mt/yr at the start of 2015. Demand was recorded at 20Mt in 2014, giving the state a capacity utilisation of 60%.
Cement demand was reported down in the southern states of India in 2014. Producers subsequently cut production to hold prices and stem their losses. With the CMA hoping for national infrastructure and housing projects to whip up demand generally, it seems possible that producers have little incentive to provide cement for the Amma scheme. One economist the Times of India quoted wondered whether the private producers would continue to sell cement to the state government at the necessary volumes. Sure enough, one of Ramadoss' criticisms of the scheme is that it may not be procuring the targeted volumes. If this is the case then the state government will have to pay more for their cement to hit the volumes they want.
Soboce's profit down 48.76% in 2015 22 July 2015
Bolivia: Sociedad Boliviana de Cemento (Soboce) has posted a profit of US$16.1m in the year that ended on 31 March 2015, down by 48.76% from US$31.5m in its 2014 financial year, according to Esmerk Latin American News. The fall was attributed to an increase in costs, rainy weather and a US$7.41m fine it had to pay in 2015, according to Esmerk Latin American News. The company is 98% owned by Consorcio Cementero del Sur, part of Gloria group.
Cement shortages in San Juan blamed on Holcim 22 July 2015
Argentina: There is a shortage of cement in the San Juan Province of Argentina of around 20% of the normal volumes, according to Esmerk Latin America News. The shortage is blamed on Holcim, which supplies 38% of the cement needed there. Loma Negra and Avellaneda supply 52% and 10% of the material needed in the Argentine district, according to data from the Argentine Construction Chamber. Local ironmongers' believe the problem might be solved shortly.
Bolu Cimento completes Ankara plant upgrade 22 July 2015
Turkey: Bolu Cimento Sanayii AS has completed the conversion of its Ankara grinding facility to a fully-integrated cement plant, according to Reuters. The plant will start operations in July 2015.
LafargeHolcim’s Aggregate Industries takes ownership of two Lafarge cement plants in the UK 22 July 2015
UK: Leicestershire-based Aggregate Industries, now part of the LafargeHolcim group, has taken ownership of Lafarge cement plants in Cauldon, Staffordshire and Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
The transfer of ownership of the two plants, along with a quarry at Cauldon Low and a cement terminal at Belfast Docks, was finalised on 20 July 2015 and also involves the transfer of 250 employees from the existing operations to Aggregate Industries. Originally owned by Holcim, Aggregate Industries said that becoming a cement producer and supplier 'is the final piece in the jigsaw,' providing a full range of construction materials to its customers.
"These are exciting times for Aggregate Industries. Along with the wider benefits of being part of the new LafargeHolcim group, the integration of cement production represents a significant strategic opportunity for us. We're now able to offer our customers the full range of construction materials and solutions, while maintaining our high levels of customer service," said Pat Ward, Aggregate Industries CEO. The business will continue with the Lafarge cement brand for its bulk cement products, although some of the bagged products will be renamed in due course.
BaselCement boosts cement and clinker output by 4% 22 July 2015
Russia: BaselCement produced 1Mt of cement and clinker in the first half of 2015, 4% more than in the same period of 2014, according to Interfax.
"Significant growth in production was achieved at Serebryansk Cement Plant. The enterprise produced almost 650,000t of cement in the first half of 2015. Shipments to the construction market in Moscow and Moscow region rose by 15% year-on-year. The plant's share of the Moscow region's cement market rose to 9%," said BaselCement in a press release.
Achinsk Cement shipped 64,000t of cement to customers in the Siberian Federal District in the first half of 2015, double the amount in the same period of 2014. "This was the result of the Euro2.56m investment project aimed at increasing capacity to produce the given grades," said BaselCement. The Siberian enterprise also increased shipments of commercial clinker by more than 150% on higher demand. Its share of the construction materials market in the Siberian FD was about 10%.
LafargeHolcim prepare for Indonesian merger 22 July 2015
Indonesia: PT Holcim Indonesia Tbk is preparing to merge with PT Lafarge Cement Indonesia after the finalisation of the LafargeHolcim merger.
Deputy corporate secretary Andika Lukman said in statement that the new holding company has started the strategic transformation process, focusing on revenues, capital allocation, commercial transformation and integration of the new holding. "The LafargeHolcim merger could raise revenues up to US$1.53bn in three years after the merger," said Lukman.
Holcim entered Indonesia by acquiring PT Semen Cibinong Tbk shares in 2001 for US$340m in the wake of a monetary crisis. The company was found by Hashim Djojohadikusumo, younger brother of Indonesia's 2014 presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto. Semen Cibinong's name was later changed to PT Holcim Indonesia. Meanwile, Lafarge entered the Indonesian market by acquiring shares of PT Semen Andalas Indonesia, which operates cement plant in Aceh, Sumatera in 1994. Semen Andalas' name was later changed to PT Lafarge Cement Indonesia.
Vicem Cement’s sales volumes fall by 0.5% 22 July 2015
Vietnam: Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation (Vicem) has said that its cement and clinker sales fell by 0.5% to 10.7Mt in the first half of 2015, according to Vietnam News Brief Service.
Some 9.58Mt was sold to the domestic market, up 7.1% year-on-year, while 1.15Mt was exported, down by 37.7%. In the first half of this year, Vicem produced 8.36Mt of clinker and 9.2Mt of cement, rising by 5% and 6.1% year-on-year, respectively. As of 30 June 2015, Vicem had 1.75Mt of cement and clinker inventory, including 1.41Mt of clinker, equivalent to 28 days of production.
Vicem aims to produce 4.26Mt of clinker and 5.21Mt of cement in the third quarter of 2015. It also aims to sell 5.97Mt of cement in the third quarter, raising the full-year target to 13.1Mt. In 2014, Vicem's clinker production grew by 0.7% year-on-year to 16.5Mt while its cement output rose by 10.3% to 18.5Mt.