
Displaying items by tag: Finance
Shree Cement to raise US$84.4m through bonds sale
13 September 2023India: Shree Cement is reportedly planning to raise US$84.4m through the sale of bonds. Reuters has reported that the bonds will mature in five years from their date of issue.
Norwegian government confirms funding for Heidelberg Materials Sement Norge’s Brevik carbon capture project
12 September 2023Norway: The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has signed a new agreement with Heidelberg Materials Sement Norge, confirming funding of up to US$14.1m for the producer’s construction of a full-scale carbon capture system at its Brevik cement plant. Under the agreement, Heidelberg Materials Sement Norge will absorb extra costs that have arisen, and retain a larger share of any return on the project. Costs rose due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and international supply chain pressures.
Nordic Daily News has reported that Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe director Giv Brantenberg said "We are in the process of completing the world's first full-scale plant for carbon capture in the cement industry, and have had great support from the Norwegian authorities throughout the project's many phases. Today's agreement reflects the good cooperation with the Norwegian government, and we look forward to completing this unique facility.”
Atlante secures Euro49.9m grant for European vehicle charging network
12 September 2023Europe: The EU has awarded a Euro49.9m grant under its Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) to Taiwan Cement subsidiary Atlante. The cement group said that Atlante will use the funds to building a fast and ultra-fast electric vehicle charging network in Europe.
JSW Cement considering US$484m initial public offering
01 September 2023India: JSW Cement may be planning to launch an initial public offering (IPO) to raise up to US$484m, according to Reuters.
JSW Cement managing director Parth Jindal reportedly said “In 2024, we are planning to take this company public, for which we will be filing the draft red herring prospectus in the next six months. We will be timing the market listing after the national elections.” Parliamentary and state legislative assembly elections are due to take place in September, November and December 2023.
Documents detail investments in Adani Group
31 August 2023India: The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has obtained documents which allegedly show how two people with close ties to the owners of Adani Group invested significantly in the group. Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli and Chang Chung-Ling traded in Adani Group shares through a Mauritius-based investment fund. The OCCRP reports that Ahli and Chang might be found to have been acting on behalf of Adani promoters. If so, their shareholding would bring insider investment in Adani Group to over 75%. This would potentially indicate stock manipulation under Indian law. Ahli and Changs’ investment management company reportedly paid a company owned by Vinod Adani, the brother of Adani Group chair Gautam Adani, for investment advice.
Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli is a Dubai-based business consultant, who is listed as an officer in a British Virgin Islands-based securities investment firm linked to Adani Group. Meanwhile, China-based Chang Chung-Ling has held positions on the boards of multiple Adani Group companies.
Adani Group replied “Contrary to your claim of new evidence/proofs, these are nothing but a rehash of unsubstantiated allegations levelled in the Hindenburg report. Our response to the Hindenburg report is available on our website. Suffice it to state that there is neither any truth to nor any basis for making any of the said allegations against the Adani Group and its promoters, and we expressly reject all of them."
CRH boosts sales and earnings in first half of 2023
25 August 2023Ireland: CRH recorded US$16.6m in consolidated sales during the first half of 2023, up by 8% year-on-year from first-half 2022 levels. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) totalled US$2.5bn, up by 14%. Throughout the half, CRH invested US$600m in acquisitions, and maintained a ‘robust’ pipeline of further opportunities. In its Americas business, cement sales were ‘robust.’ There, volumes rose by 5%, and prices rose by 17%, despite adverse weather in Texas and the Western US. Meanwhile, price rises successfully offset local volume declines in Europe, but failed to do so in the Philippines. CRH said that infrastructure projects in the Philippines are experiencing delays. In Ukraine, it said that construction activity increased in the first half of 2023, despite the continuing Russian invasion.
CEO Albert Manifold said "I am pleased to report a strong first half performance, reflecting the continued delivery of our differentiated strategy, further commercial progress across our businesses and good contributions from acquisitions. The strength of our balance sheet, together with our relentless focus on disciplined capital allocation, will enable us to invest in future growth and value creation opportunities for our business."
New CFO for James Hardie Industries
23 August 2023US: James Hardie Industries, the world's largest producer and marketer of high-performance fibre cement and fibre gypsum building solutions, has announced the appointment of Rachel Wilson as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective 16 August 2023. She was appointed after Jason Miele stepped down as CFO. He will remain at James Hardie for three months as an advisor to the CEO for special projects, and will subsequently leave the organisation.
Wilson has joined James Hardie following a successful career of over 25 years in the global technology, business services and consumer products industries. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer at R1 RCM. Previously, she held leadership positions at global companies such as Iron Mountain, Jarden Corporation and Avon Products. She earlier served in corporate finance and merger and acquisition investment banking roles at Citigroup and Morgan Stanley.
Commenting on the appointment, James Hardie Industries CEO Aaron Erter said "Rachel has deep experience in corporate finance, capital markets and leading and developing high performing teams, along with a demonstrated focus on driving profitable growth. Rachel is clearly a valuable addition to the leadership team and will help us as we pursue our strategic growth plans."
Wilson said "It's an honour to join James Hardie, a leader in the building products industry with an outstanding culture of business and product innovation. I look forward to working with Aaron and being part of this high-performing team. It is an exciting time to leverage our capabilities and to continue to drive our global growth."
Cemex updates sustainability-linked financing framework
18 August 2023Mexico: Cemex has updated its sustainability-linked financing framework in line with its latest emissions reduction targets of 475kg/t of CO2 per tonne of cementitious material. Under the new framework, Cemex will issue up to US$350m-worth of sustainability-linked bonds on the Mexican Stock Exchange. The group plans to use the funds to refinance debt, as well as for ‘general corporate purposes.’ It aims to acheive 85% sustainability-linked financing by 2030.
Cemex said "The proceeds will be used exclusively for eligible green projects in pollution prevention and control, renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, sustainable water and wastewater management, production technologies and processes adapted to the circular economy and/or eco-efficient products.”
East African Portland Cement Company to resume full-scale operations at Athi River cement plant
01 August 2023Kenya: East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) says that it is ready to resume full-scale cement production at its 600,000t/yr Athi River cement plant. The Standard newspaper has reported that the plant is currently operating at 50% capacity, following refurbishment. EAPCC replaced a 16m-long section of kiln shell in the plant's clinker line, at a cost of US$3.5m. Managing director Oliver Kirubai said that the company raised the funds through the sale of land located in Athi River.
Kirubai said "Our employees have cut back a lot, in a situation where we have been struggling even to pay their salaries. We are now back on our feet." He added "A number of companies owed us millions of Shillings. They have been ordered to pay us by the government. If they honour the agreement, the problem we are facing will be a thing of the past.”
EAPCC says that it expects the scale-up of production at the Athi River plant to help lower the cost of cement for its customers.
Germany: Heidelberg Materials' consolidated sales rose by 5.3% year-on-year to Euro10.5bn in the first half of 2022. The producer noted a continuing 'downward trend' in its cement sales volumes in the second quarter of the year. The group recorded a net profit of Euro783m, up by 31% year-on-year from Euro597m.
Chair Dominik von Achten said “We have closed the first half of 2023 with a good result. Even in a weaker market environment, with significant declines in sales volumes in some cases, we performed quite well. We remain confident about the second half of the year, and are once again upgrading our outlook for 2023 significantly." He continued "In the first half of 2023, we achieved a further reduction in our specific net CO₂ emissions through numerous measures. With the large number of our carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects, we are aiming at the full decarbonisation of our products. Just recently, one of our pioneering carbon capture and storage projects in Germany was approved to receive funding from the EU Innovation Fund. The continuous reduction of our carbon footprint and strengthening the circular economy are our most powerful levers to offer our customers climate-friendly products on a large scale."
Chief financial officer René Aldach said that the company will demonstrate its financial strength with a third tranche of its on-going share buyback programme, commencing on 28 July 2023.