September 2024
Zambia: The majority government-owned Zambia Consolidated Copper Mine (ZCCM) Investment Holdings has appointed Mabvuto Chipata its chair. ZCCM’s cement division faces the challenge of national overcapacity due to market saturation as it moves ahead with the US$600m construction of a 1.6Mt/yr integrated cement plant and 57MW power station in Masaiti, Copperbelt province. Thierry Charles, speaking on behalf of the Euronext minority shareholders, expressed relief at ‘the definitive turning of a page on several years of hazardous, inconsistent and disastrous investments.’
Anhui Conch Cement boosts nine-month profit by 15% year-on-year 23 October 2019
China: Anhui Conch cement made a net profit of US$3.36bn in the nine months to September 2019, up by 15% from US$2.92bn in the corresponding period of 2018. Sales over the period were US$15.7bn, having increased by 42% from US$11.0bn in the first nine months of 2018. The company explained the disparity between revenue and profit in terms of increased operating costs of 32% compared to 2018, “due to the expansion of product sales and trading business.”
Nine-month production falls by 1.2% year-on-year in Azerbaijan 23 October 2019
Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan’s three cement works of an integrated capacity of 5Mt/yr produced 2.5Mt of cement in the nine months to 30 September 2019, down by 1.2% compared to 2.6Mt over the same term in 2018. Overall sales were low in the period, but exports picked up in the quarter to 30 September 2019, stimulating production levels of 0.9Mt, representing no change year-on-year.
Namibia: The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has recognised Ohorongo Cement’s commitment to quality with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certification. The former follows technical auditing of the entire cement-making process to ensure ‘quality at the core of all processes,’ according to New Era, while the latter signifies the attainment of ‘the global standard for an effective environmental management system.’ The company commented that: “Ohorongo ensures that all operations and practices exhibit responsibility towards all stakeholders and the environment.”
Ohorongo Cement’s 69.8% owner Schwenk Namibia failed to sell to Singaporean-based International Cement Group (ICG) in September 2019.
Gansu Qilianshan Cement Group records US$147m nine-month profit 22 October 2019
China: Gansu Qilianshan Cement Group made a net profit of US$147m in the first nine months of 2019, representing an increase of 89% from its nine-month profit to 30 September 2018 of US$78m. Operating income recorded a comparatively slow growth of 21% to US$737m from US$610 in the corresponding 2018 reporting period. The company attributed its profitable results to tactical divestments.
Qatar National Cement Company’s nine-month profit down by 41% 22 October 2019
Qatar: Qatar National Cement Company recorded a net profit of US$35.5m in the nine months to 30 September 2019, down by 41% compared to US$60.1m in the corresponding period of 2018. The depleted profit was ostensibly due to the company increasing its expenditure in expanding its export base to Africa and India.
Pakistan’s September sales edge up year-on-year 22 October 2019
Pakistan: Cement producers in Pakistan dispatched a total volume of 4.3Mt of cement in September 2019, 13% more than the 3.8Mt shifted in September 2018. Domestic consumption stood at 3.5Mt, representing a 13% increase from 3.1Mt in the same month of 2018. The country exported the remaining 0.8Mt, a 14% increase compared to the 0.7Mt exported in September 2018. The Pakistan Observer has suggested that dwindling demand and new legislation requiring sellers of goods over US$319 in value to have a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), something which the majority of cement producers do not hold, are placing a drag on growth.
Peru: Cement producers in Peru dispatched 0.94Mt of cement in September 2019, up by 7.4% on the September 2018 figure of 0.88Mt. Demand continues to outstrip domestic production, with a 6.5% increase to 1.0Mt from 0.97Mt in September 2019. Consumers imported a total of 50,000t, primarily from Vietnam.
LafargeHolcim partners with Russian Direct Investment Fund 22 October 2019
Russia: Swiss-based LafargeHolcim has signed a cooperation agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) for the purposes of supporting market growth and attaining to international quality, sustainability and energy efficiency standards. Contify Investment News has reported that LafargeHolcim, whose total integrated capacity of 9.4Mt in Russia is spread across four plants, will receive equity co-investments for projects from the Russian sovereign wealth fund. Maxim Goncharov, CEO of LafargeHolcim Russia, said that the partnership facitates the company’s global expertise "in solving target issues related to the industry’s and society’s development,” such as the co-processing of waste as a substitute fuel.
China Gezhouba Group enters production in Kazakhstan 21 October 2019
Kazakhstan: China Gezhouba Group has inaugurated a 0.9Mt/yr clinker production plant in the Kyzylorda region. Central Asia News has reported that the plant will produce nine types of cement, with oil well cement its major product. This is aimed at diminishing the Kazakh oil industry’s dependence on cement imports. China Gezhouba Group chairman Li Ming said: “the alignment of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Kazakhstan’s Bright Path economic policy brings great prospects for the China-Kazakhstan cement production capacity.”
The new cement plant is the first in the region and will employ 260 people.