Displaying items by tag: Paraguay

Paraguay: The association of cement distributors in Vallemi has expressed its concern over low production levels at Industria Nacional del Cemento’s (INC) plant. The association says that the cement plant has been unable to guarantee clinker production or dispatches of cement, according to the ABC newspaper. Cement shortages are expected unless normal production is resumed.

The kiln at INC’s plant in Vallemi as reportedly stopped repeatedly since September 2017. It stopped operating on 27 December 2017 and has been waiting for engineers from ABB to carry out repairs. Parts were due to arrive in mid-January 2018. INC has denied reports that cement production and supply have been affected.

Argentina/Bolivia: Bolivia’s Itacamba is preparing to send a second batch of cement to Argentina. It sent 4000t earlier in the year and now intends to send the same amount again, according to the El Día newspaper. The company expects to export 0.16Mt of clinker with a value of US$9m in 2017. Cement exports are expected to reach a value of US$2m. Itacamba already dispatches clinker to Argentina and it has been sending both clinker and cement to Paraguay.

Paraguay: Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) sold 9.85 million bags of cement in the first nine months of 2017, representing 74.6% of its total sales in 2016. The aim is to achieve sales of at least 13.5 million bags in 2017, up from 13.2 million bags sold in 2016.

INC’s sales were boosted by a new mill and a new dryer in Villeta. The firm will also be able to use alternative fuels in its kiln from late 2017. The plant will increase its capacity by 45% and will shortly issue a US$500,000 tender for a new cement packing plant at its plant in Villeta to achieve this.

Paraguay: Jorge Mendez, the president of Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC), says that his company aims to reach a 75% market share by the end of 2018. Production and cement deliveries are expected to rise 77,500 bags/day by the end of 2017 from 55,000 bags/day and sales are forecast to rise by US$50m/yr. The state-owned cement producer plans to reach sales of 13.2 million bags in 2017.

Paraguay: Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) has installed a new cement mill at its Villeta plant. Once fully operational the new mill will produce up to 80t/hr of a new product, CPC-40, according to the Hoy website. The cement producer aims to increase production by 45% by the end of 2017.

Paraguay: Yguazu saw record sales of 1.1 million bags of cement in July 2017, according to Ernesto Acosta, the firm's industrial manager, largely because of supply issues that affected state-run cement firm INC. Yguazu reported that it ‘even had to open on Sundays.’ Normally, Yguazu’s sales stand at 0.9  -1.0 million bags per month. INC has now resolved its issues.

Paraguay: Jorge Mendez, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Industria Nacional de Cemento (INC), has said that the Senate has passed a bill for the use of domestically-produced cement in road works carried out by the government. The bill now needs final approved from the government, according to La Nacion newspaper. If approved, the Ministry of Public Works and Communications is expected to build 15% of its works with locally produced cement from 2018, before gradually increasing this to 30% subsequently.

The cement producer has assured the government that it can meet the demand. It also expects to be able to double its cement production in October 2017 with the launch of a new cement grinding plant at Villeta.

Paraguay: President Horacio Cartes has officially opened a US$3.9m pozzolana dryer at Industria Nacional del Cemento’s (INC) cement grinding plant at Villeta. The upgrade cost US$3.9m and it is expected to save the plant up to US$10m/yr, according to the Última Hora newspaper. In addition the cement producer is changing the fuels it can use at its Vallemi cement plant.

Paraguay: Industria Nacional del Cemento’s (INC) production rose by 8% year-on-year to 13.2 million bags of cement in 2016 from 12.3 million bags in 2015. It also reported an operating profit of US$1.5m, according to La Nación newspaper. Company president Jorge Mendez said that the state-run cement producer produces 55,000bag/day of cement at its plants at Villeta and Vallemi, holding about 55% of the domestic market.

INC is completing a US$3.9m dryer upgrade at its Villeta plant with local contractor Engineering. Changes to the fuel used at its Vallemi plant are also on-going to cut energy costs.

Paraguay: Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC) has reported progress on upgrade projects at its cement plants in Vallemi and Villeta. At its plant in Vallemi the company is continuing work on upgrading the fuels that the kiln can use. The project is expected to save up to US$22m/yr. CIE is conducting the work and the launch is scheduled for January 2017.

INC is also building a cement grinding plant at Villeta. The new mill is being built by Sinoma for a cost of US$11.5m and is scheduled for delivery in August 2016. It will have a cement production capacity of 80t/hour or be able to produce around 800,000 bags/month of cement. INC also plans to start operating a pozzolan drying unit at Villeta in September 2016.