Displaying items by tag: Pakistan

Pakistan: Cement despatches rose by 30% year-on-year to 3.99Mt in July 2025 from 3.07Mt in July 2024, according to data from the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA). Local sales grew by 18% to 2.98Mt during the period, while exports increased significantly, by 84%, to 1.01Mt from 0.54Mt previously.

An APCMA spokesperson said “The new fiscal year started on a positive note in spite of disturbing weather conditions in most parts of the country.” The APCMA expressed hope for continued momentum for the rest of 2025, supported by improved macroeconomic indicators.

Pakistan: Dewan Cement has commissioned a 6MW solar power system at its Dhabeji plant in Karachi, the company disclosed to the Pakistan Stock Exchange. The system now reportedly provides over 50% of the plant’s operational energy requirements. The company said that the investment in renewable energy would improve energy security and deliver cost savings amid rising fuel prices.

Pakistan: Lucky Cement exported over 3Mt of cement and clinker by sea in the 2024–25 financial year, the highest on record for the company and for Pakistan, according to Mettis Link News. The producer accounted for 42% of the country’s total cement and clinker exports during this period. The company said that 60% of the energy used for the export operations came from renewable sources, including wind, solar and waste heat recovery.

Pakistan: Local cement despatches are expected to fall by 28% month-on-month and 15% year-on-year to 2.63Mt in June 2025, primarily due to reduced working days over the Eid holidays. Daily average sales dropped to 88,000t from 118,000t in May 2025. Provisional data covering 22 days of the month showed 1.75Mt of cement sold, with full-month estimates at 2.5Mt, below the 11-month average of 3.06Mt.

Total sales for June 2025 are forecast at 3.54Mt, flat year-on-year but down 24% from May 2025. Sector capacity utilisation is projected at 52%, down from 68% in May 2025. For the 2024–25 fiscal year, total cement sales are expected to remain flat, with a 5% drop in local sales and a 30% rise in exports. Analysts anticipate recovery in the 2026 financial year, supported by improved macroeconomic conditions and lower interest rates.

Pakistan: Lebanese investment company Pharaoh Investment Group Ltd (PIGL) is considering the possibility of selling a stake in its subsidiary Attock Cement Pakistan Ltd (ACPL) amid a revaluation of its assets in the cement sector. PIGL, which is the majority shareholder of ACPL with an 84% stake, has received proposals from investors to acquire the entire stake, subject to regulatory approval.

The list of applicants includes joint proposals from the Fauji Foundation and Kotaku Power Company, as well as from Cherat Cement and Shirazi Investments. Separate applications were sent by Alpha Cement and Bestway Cement. ACPL holds a leading position in the cement market in Southern Pakistan, with a 24% market share, thanks to its 4.3Mt/yr capacity.

Pakistan: The Supreme Court has granted a two-week stay to cement producers, suspending a recent ruling that required higher royalty payments on limestone. Earlier, the Lahore High Court had ordered producers to pay royalties based on 6% of the ex-factory price of cement or clinker. Producers argue that the levy is ‘disproportionate’ and intend to contest the case fully in the next hearing.

Pakistan: Cement exports rose by 22% year-on-year in the first 11 months of the 2024–25 financial year, which started in July 2024, reaching over 8Mt, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Shipments increased by 30% year-on-year from 6.18Mt to 8.0Mt. In May 2025, exports rose by 6% year-on-year to US$34m in value and by 45% month-on-month from April 2025. Overall, national exports grew by 5% while imports rose by 7.5% over the same period.

Pakistan: Gharibwal Cement has announced the successful installation and commissioning of a new 12.5MW solar power system at its plant in Ismailwal. The new capacity has been integrated with the producer’s existing 12MW solar infrastructure, bringing total installed solar generation capacity to 24.5MW. The company said the additional system commenced commercial operations on 16 June 2025.

Pakistan: Five companies have signalled interest in bidding for Attock Cement. These include Alpha Cement Company, Bestway Cement and Cherat Cement Company, along with military investment fund Fauji Foundation and utilities provider Kot Addu Power Company. Pakistan Today News has reported that Fauji Foundation and Kot Addu Power Company’s plans consist of a joint acquisition of 84% of Attock Cement, followed by a mandatory public offer for the free float. Alpha Cement Company, meanwhile, may seek to buy as much as 92%, through a follow-on offer.

Attock Cement commands 3Mt/yr of capacity in South Pakistan, reportedly an increasingly attractive region, amid the on-going ‘revival’ of exports from Karachi port.

Alpha Cement Company was incorporated in Karachi in November 2024.

Pakistan: The cement sector experienced a ‘substantial’ increase in earnings during the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 (from 1 January 2025 to 30 April 2025), according to a recent analysis of eight key producers. Collective earnings grew by a factor of 2.3 compared to the same period of the 2024 fiscal year (FY2024), primarily driven by an expansion in profit margins and dividend income from subsidiaries.

This came despite a comparatively modest 2% year-on-year increase in local cement dispatches, with the increased margin largely attributed to lower coal prices, alongside enhanced cost efficiencies and higher prices.

Looking forward, expectations are high for further margin gain. Rising cement prices, particularly in the north, are anticipated to support this trend. Additionally, continued low international coal prices are likely to benefit companies operating in the south.