Displaying items by tag: Italy
Italy: Italcementi has reported that its revenue fell by 6.2% to Euro2.16bn for the first half of 2013 from Euro2.30bn in the same period in 2012. The Italian-based cement producer commented that, despite the decrease in sales volumes, its revenue reduction was smaller (3.6%) in the second quarter of 2013.
"Our programme to contain fixed costs together with close control of variable costs enabled us to lower our breakeven point, slightly ahead of our targets, despite continuing difficulties in market conditions, especially in Italy," said Italcementi group chief operating officer Giovanni Ferrario.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 10.6% to Euro299m from Euro334m. The group posted a loss for the period of Euro43.3m compared with a profit of Euro1.3m in the first half of 2012, when gains of Euro8.6m were reported on the sale of its subsidiaries Afyon and Fuping. Net debt for the period was broadly unchanged for the period at Euro2bn.
Overall cement sales fell by 7.1% to 21.8Mt. By region, cement sales fell by 12.4% to 7.2Mt in Central Western Europe and by 11.7% to 6.9Mt in Emerging Europe, North Africa and Middle East. Cement sales rose by 1% to 2Mt in North America and by 5.3% in Asia. In the cement business, for the second quarter the group reported a significant reduction in the decline in Europe and Morocco, positive performance in North America and stability in sales in Asia. Sales volumes in Egypt were affected by difficulties in fuel procurement. A particular poor performance in Italy was singled out.
In its outlook, Italcementi speculated that its results in the second half of 2013 should be in line with the second half of 2012 due to market improvements in selected countries and the impact of cost cutting exercises, particularly in Italy and Spain. However, it warned that full-year profitability would be hit by the poor first quarter of 2013.
Colacem seeks expansion abroad
19 June 2013Italy: Colacem, Italy's third-largest cement producer, is increasingly relying on foreign markets, according to director general Giuseppe Colaiacovo, who was speaking at a news conference. Colaiacovo said that the company was looking to offset the 'dire' Italian market.
The company plans to boost its presence in the Caribbean, where it already has a plant in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and is looking at the potential oil markets of some African countries such as Nigeria, Mozambique and Angola.
Italcementi loss grows in Q1
08 May 2013Italy: Italcementi's loss for the first quarter of 2013 has grown to Euro58.5m from Euro34.4m in the same period in 2012. The Italian cement producer singled out poor weather in March 2013 and the absence of income from CO2 emission rights as contributing factors.
Group revenue fell by 9.3% to Euro0.96bn in the first quarter of 2013 from Euro1.03bn in the same period in 2012. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 36.8% to Euro88.7m from Euro140m.
Revenue for the group's cement and clinker sector fell by 9.5% to Euro627m from Euro693m. Total cement and clinker sales volumes fell by 9.6% to 10Mt. By region, in central Western Europe sales volumes fell by 18.6% to 3Mt. In North America sales volumes fell by 3.9% to 0.7Mt. In the group's 'Emerging Europe, North Africa and Middle East' region sales volumes fell by 14.6% to 3.3Mt. In Asia sales volumes rose by 11.2% to 2.7Mt. Particular drops in revenue were noted in Italy (22.3%) and Spain (28.9%).
In its quarterly report Italcementi described how the group is coping with the fall in cement consumption in Italy from 46.5Mt in 2006 to 25.5Mt in 2012 with its 'Project 2015' programme that was announced in December 2012. During 2013 a number of continuous-cycle plants will continue to operate only as grinding centres. The group also placed the value of lost CO2 emission rights income - principally from Italy, France and Bulgaria – at Euro18m in 2012.
In its outlook Italcementi believes that its full-year recurring EBITDA will be substantially stable compared with 2012. The healthy trends on the Asian and North American markets together with the benefits arising from the on-going efficiency measures should counterbalance the effects of the reduction in demand expected on the European markets.
Italcementi shareholders elect new board
24 April 2013Italy: At their annual general meeting held in Bergamo, the shareholders of Italcementi SpA elected the Board of Directors for the next three years, until approval of the financial statements for 2015.
The members of the new Board are Pierfranco Barabani, Giorgio Bonomi, Fritz Burkard, Victoire de Margerie Federico Falck, Lorenzo Renato Guerini, Italo Lucchini, Emma Marcegaglia, Sebastiano Mazzoleni, Jean Paul Méric Carlo Pesenti, Giampiero Pesenti, Carlo Secchi, Elena Zambon (all elected from the majority list presented by Italmobiliare SpA) and Giulio Antonello (a candidate from the minority list presented by First Eagle Global Fund).
Italy: Italian cement producer Italcementi plans to stop production at three of its Italian cement plants, bringing the total of its dormant plants in the country to nine. Italcementi director general Giovanni Battista Ferrario made the announcement at a shareholders' meeting, blaming the move on overcapacity in the face of a huge slump in domestic demand
The company expects to save Euro110m through the closures as part of an efficiency drive. It posted losses of Euro362m in 2012, most of it due to poor Italian demand. Lay-offs for over a quarter of Italian staff were announced in December 2012. It said the Italian market "continues to be marked by productive over-capacity compared to a demand that has dropped to the levels last seen at the end of the 1970s."
Italcementi had 17 operational plants in 2012. It has since then sold one and halted production at five others. However, CEO Carlo Pesenti told the meeting that the company plans to invest up to Euro150m on upgrades at its Rezzato plant and has plans to develop its Calusco plant.
Buzzi Unicem profit plummets by 96% in 2012
03 April 2013Italy: Italian cement producer Buzzi Unicem has seen its net profit fall by 96% to Euro2m in 2012 from Euro54.8m in 2011. The company attributed the fall to a penalisation by impairment of fixed assets and deferred tax assets adjustment.
Buzzi Unicem's net sales remained stagnant at Euro2.81bn in 2012 compared to Euro2.79bn in 2011. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 4.8% to Euro455m form 434m. Net debt was reduced by 18% to Euro1.12bn from Euro1.14bn. In 2012, the group sold 27.3Mt of cement, down by 3.4% from 2011.
In Italy the company saw cement and clinker volumes decline by 20% in 2012. This was the highest annual percentage decrease since the Second World War. In Central Europe cement sales also declined. In Eastern Europe cement volumes declined in Poland, Czech Republic and Ukraine but sales increased by 15% in Russia. In the US demand 'rebounded' but Buzzi Unicem declined to provide any details for its cement business. Finally, in Mexico cement sales volumes rose by 6.2% in 2012.
For its outlook in 2013 Buzzi Unicem expects to see continued growth in the US and Russia, on-going problems in Italy and a stable situation overall in other territories.
Buzzi revenue stagnates despite lower sales
13 February 2013Italy: Buzzi Unicem has announced that its revenue for 2012 rose by 0.9% to Euro2.81bn. The positive impact of currency exchange rates helped compensate for falling cement volumes. The firm said in a statement that it expected a recurring earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of about Euro450m in 2012, in line with its previous estimates.
The company will shortly start a squeeze-out procedure on its German unit Dyckerhoff, of which it owns already 96.6%. The procedure will be completed in 2013 and lead to delisting of the German firm.
Italcementi revenue falls by 3.8% to Euro4.48bn in 2012
06 February 2013Italy: Italcementi has reported that its revenue fell by 3.8% to Euro4.48bn in 2012 from Euro4.68bn in 2011. It blamed the fall on the continued effects of the economic crisis on demand for construction materials in Western Europe.
Sales volumes of cement and clinker principally fell in the group's Central & Western Europe region, by 16.1% to 16Mt in 2012. Volumes also fell by 4.5% to 14.9Mt in the group's Emerging Europe, North Africa and Middle East region. North America grew by 0.3% to 4.2Mt and Asia grew by 8% to 10.1Mt. Notably sales volumes increased across all regions in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Revenue by business line for cement and clinker fell by 3% to Euro2.90bn in 2012 from Euro2.99bn in 2011. Revenue by geographical area for the group's two declining regions represented 76% of the group's total of Euro4.48m in 2012.
In its press release the Italian based multinational cement producer added that it reduced its net financial debt by approximately Euro100m in 2012 to Euro1.99bn, helped by cash flow improvements and an investment policy focused on industrial and environmental efficiency. It added the during 2012 the group introduced measures to rationalise its production network. These include the '2015 Project' for the Italian market, announced in December 2012, which will have a positive annual effect of approximately Euro40m when fully implemented.
Cementir increases revenues by 4.6% to Euro976m in 2012
06 February 2013Italy: Italian cement maker Cementir Holding increased its revenue by 4.6% to Euro976m in 2012. Cementir's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 11.1% to Euro138m. However, sales volumes of grey and white cement fell by 6% to 9.85Mt in 2012 from 10.47Mt in 2011.
In its financial statement Cementir attributed its positive performance to the good development in prices across all of the company's geographic areas, although at a much slower pace of growth in the Scandinavian countries and in Turkey. Volumes of cement and clinker fell in 2012 due to the slowdown in the Italian and Egyptian markets and, to a lesser extent, the decline in exports from Turkey. This was partly offset by the positive performance posted in the Far East, thanks in part to the new capacity of a Chinese plant, now in its second full year of operation
For 2013 Cementir expects its financial performance to improve and its debt to diminish. A positive trend of white cement sales in China and positive performance in Egypt and Malaysia are expected to offset the expected contraction in Italy. In Turkey, growth should be modest as a result of the contraction in the residential construction market, although investment in infrastructure should remain high. The 2013 revenues are expected to beat Euro1bn and the EBITDA to exceed Euro150m. Cementir also launched a project to improve the profitability of its operations in various countries, which is expected to save Euro30m as of 2014.
Italcementi announces lay-off schemes for 26% of Italian staff
14 December 2012Italy: The Italian cement maker Italcementi has prepared a plan to reorganise its activities in Italy, to be implemented in 2013 and 2014. It envisages layoff schemes for up to 665 employees.
At present the company employs 2500 staff, of whom two-thirds are employed at its production sites. The remainder work at the company's headquarters in Bergamo.
The plan, dubbed 'Project 2015,' aims to rationalise the industrial and distribution structure of the group and reorganise the central structures and commercial network. The plan targets to reduce costs by around Euro40m/yr.