September 2024
Pakistan: The All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) says that the country’s installed cement production capacity will reach 99Mt/yr within the next few years, with most of the planned work to be completed by mid-2023. The Dawn newspaper has reported that producers are launching new cement plant projects and expanding existing plants with a total new capacity of 18Mt/yr. Upon completion, the current projects will increase domestic cement production capacity by 43% to 99Mt/yr from 69Mt/yr. 94Mt/yr of the new capacity is situated in Northern Pakistan and 5.0Mt/yr in Southern Pakistan.
APCMA says that the reason behind the new expansion cycle is estimated annual sales growth of 10 – 15% from 2021.
Schwenk seeks purchase of Akmenes Cement 10 May 2021
Lithuania: Germany-based Schwenk Zement has sought to increase its stake in 50% subsidiary Akmenes Cement to 97%. The company is also seeking the acquisition of a 75% stake in limestone supplier Kalcitas. The producer took over Mexico-based Cemex’s stake in Akmenes Cement in 2019.
Italy: Buzzi Unicem’s first-quarter consolidated net sales fell by 1% year-on-year to Euro683m in the first quarter of 2021 from Euro689m in the first quarter of 2020. Cement sales volumes were 6.2Mt, up by 3% from 6.0Mt. Adverse weather caused slight sales declines in Europe and North America. The company called full-year growth prospects for 2021 ‘encouraging.’
Germany: ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions has launched GooVi, a digitised vibrating screen with an ‘intelligent’ control system. The supplier says that the screen offers increased efficiency, reduced weight and height. It combines the control system with a new patented drive technology. The product’s name plays on the title of the Beach Boys’ 1967 hit song Good Vibrations.
Head of product line screens and feeders Achim Schönfelder said, “With the GooVi, all vibration modes (circular, linear and elliptical) can be realised in one machine, allowing flexible adaptation to changing job requirements and material properties. In addition, the low height of the GooVi facilitates simple installation in existing plants.”
Polish Cement Association predicts fall in cement sales in 2021 and reviews challenges of carbon neutrality 07 May 2021
Poland: The Polish Cement Association (SPC) has forecast a 2% year-on-year drop in cement sales to 18.5Mt in 2021. President Krzysztof Kieres attributed the fall to growing imports and reduced construction due to a cold start to the year. He predicts that sales will rise again, by 4% to 19.3Mt, in 2022.
The SPC has warned that the industry faces large costs in meeting the European Green Deal’s required 40% CO2 emissions reduction by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In particular, the local industry noted that the rising European Union (EU) CO2 price has caused a direct increase in electricity prices. It has called on the government and the EU to compensate it for this rise.
Imports of cement also present a key challenge. In 2020, imports of Belarusian cement increased by 80% to 440,000t and imports of Ukrainian cement increased by 50% to 32,000t. The association expressed strong support for the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as a means of protecting the industry against imports both from neighbouring countries outside the EU and via polluting shipping from cement exporters further afield such as Turkey.
North Korea: The North Korea government says that it will supply 10,000t/yr of cement to every city and county in the country. The new target will help to fulfil the aims of the January 2021 Five Year Plan, under which the state aims to build 10,000 apartments/year in Pyongyang and 5000 apartments/year in Komdok. The 38 North project has reported that in order to realise this vision, it plans to establish 8.0Mt/yr of new capacity via upgrades and new projects by January 2026.
In March 2021 a North Korean delegation visited a Chinese cement plant to learn about modern cement production.
Police investigate Cimento Nassau ownership 07 May 2021
Brazil: Federal police in Pernambuco have launched an investigation into the alleged involvement of organised crime in João Santos Group, the owner of Cimento Nassau. 53 search warrants have been issued in four Brazilian states with the involvement of over 240 police officers, according to the Valor Econômico newspaper. The police are looking into allegations of asset diversions and tax evasion up to a value of around US$1.6bn.
Italy: Taiwan-based Taiwan cement has agreed to acquire Engie’s 60% stake in battery and hydrogen power systems supplier Engie EPS. The aggregate value of the deal is Euro132m. The producer expects to close the deal in mid-late 2021, whereupon it will launch an all-cash mandatory tender offer for the company’s remaining shares. Taiwan Cement said that the transaction would provide the cornerstone for its strategic global blueprint in the future.
YTL Corporation sells Dama Cement 06 May 2021
China: Malaysia-based YTL Corporation has has sold its 100% stake in Zhejiang Hangzhou Dama Cement. The company acquired the producer in 2007. It operates a cement plant located in the Lin’an district of Zhejiang Province. Executive chair Francis Yeoh said that it chose the time to sell based on the high current valuation of the subsidiary.
Managing director Datuk Seri Michael Yeoh Sock Siong said that the disposal was aligned with the group’s focus on becoming a regional cement industry leader in Southeast Asia. He said "Dama was our first substantial foray into China’s cement industry. The vital insight and knowledge that we have gained will be used in our plans to expand our operations within Southeast Asia."
Germany: HeidelbergCement’s consolidated net sales rose by 1% year-on-year to Euro3.96bn in the first quarter of 2021. Its result from current operations before depreciation and amortisation (RCOBD) rose by 33% to Euro538m from Euro405m in the same period in 2020. Group cement and clinker sales volumes rose by 2% to 28.4Mt from 27.7Mt. Cement volumes rose by 11% in Western and Southern Europe to 6.8Mt from 6.1Mt, by 5% in Asia-Pacific to 8.8Mt from 8.4Mt and by 1% in Africa-Eastern Mediterranean Basin to 5.2Mt. Volumes fell by 5% in North America and by 4% in Northern and Eastern Europe-Central Asia to 3.1Mt and 4.4Mt respectively.
Dominik von Achten said, “HeidelbergCement has made an excellent start to 2021. In all group areas, we have once again been able to significantly increase our results and margins compared with an already strong first quarter in 2020. This is a seamless continuation of our very good development in recent quarters.”