Displaying items by tag: Prices
Mexican cement prices sky-rocket in January 2022
26 January 2022Mexico: The average price of bagged grey cement has soared by an average of 14.5% so far in January 2022. Bulk cement prices have increased by 20% month-on-month since mid December 2021.
Locally-owned multinational producer Cemex said that, to maintain margins, it increased the price of its bagged cement by 14.4% nationwide and its bulk cement by 17 - 20%. "The increases applied to our products seek to recover part of the inflation that the company has had in its costs," the company explained in a press release.
Javier Fernández, director of the materials distributor Grupo Mecasa, which has a presence in Nuevo León, Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Veracruz, said that the rest of the country's cement companies also raised prices in a similar proportion to Cemex.
Vietnamese cement producers raise prices
10 November 2021Vietnam: Cement producers have raised their prices due to mounting coal costs. In October 2021 Bim Son Cement increased the cost of its products by 6%, according to the Viet Nam News newspaper. Other manufacturers have done likewise. Data from the Vietnam Association of Construction Contractors shows that local coal prices have grown by 7 – 10% recently. Coal represents around 40 – 45% of the production cost of cement. Prices of diesel and additives have also risen.
Lhoist to raise price of lime products
30 September 2021US: Lhoist will raise the price of its lime products by US$0.2/t for every US$0.05 rise in its natural gas costs above US$2.6/MMBtu from 1 November 2021. The producer says that the price rise reflects supply challenges and increased costs, of which energy costs have risen most significantly.
The producer said “We regret having to implement this energy surcharge, but believe it necessary in the face of these energy-related cost increases. Additionally, please note that this surcharge is independent of and in addition to 2022 price increases that will be necessary for Lhoist to keep pace with general inflationary factors impacting its cost structure.” It added “We appreciate your business and cooperation during this difficult time. If you have any questions regarding the above, feel free to contact your Lhoist sales representative.”
Turkish builders down tools in protest against high cement prices
02 September 2021Turkey: Builders have declared a one-day ‘strike’ on 2 September 2021 to protest against high cement prices. The Turkish Builders Confederation (IMKON) told the government that, though the prices of all commodities rose following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the cement price rise is disproportionate, according to the Dünya newspaper. Producers responded that they have recorded sharp increases in input prices. Electricity costs rose by 64% year-on-year in July 2021, while coal costs more than doubled over the same period.
Trinidad & Tobago: Trinidad Cement says it has no plans to raises its prices at the current time. However, it reserves the right to do so in the future if its production costs change, according the Trinidad Guardian newspaper. The subsidiary of Mexico-based Cemex said that it had suffered ‘significant’ losses due to government coronavirus-related regulations. It has not sold cement to the local market since early May 2021 with the exception of three construction projects due to the request of the government. The cement producer added that its silos and warehouses were fully stocked and that it was ready to start supply when it is given permission to do so.
Cement shortages at retailers has been reported in June 2021. Cement importer Rock Hard Cement announced earlier in the month that it was set to raise its prices in July 2021 due to increasing prices around the world and volatile shipping rates.
Trinidad and Tobago: Rock Hard Cement says it intends to raise the price of its imported cement in July 2021 due to increasing prices around the world and volatile shipping rates. It added that it expected prices to stabilise in 2022, according to the Trinidad Express newspaper. Cement shortages have been reported at retailers in the country. This has been attributed to local manufacturer Trinidad Cement stopping production in early May 2021 dye to government coronavirus-related health regulations.
Indian cement producers’ petcoke use fell amid rising fuel prices in fourth quarter of 2021 financial year
01 June 2021India: Cement producers reduced the proportion of coal in their fuel mixes during the fourth quarter of the local 2021 financial year. Ramco Cements’ petcoke use was 41% in the 2021 financial year compared to 48% in the 2020 financial year, according to Mint News. Dalmia Bharat subsidiary Dalmia Cement used 52% petcoke in its cement fuel in the fourth quarter of the 2021 financial year, which ended on 31 March 2021, compared to 70% in the year’s third quarter. In the same comparison periods, Aditya Birla subsidiary UltraTech Cement reduced its petcoke share to 30% from 77%. It replaced the fuel with 60% coal, compared to 10% in the third quarter of the 2021 financial year.
Petcoke prices more than doubled year-on-year to US$130/t in the fourth quarter of the 2021 financial year, leading cement producers to switch fuels. Coal prices have resultantly risen by 82% to US$100/t. Producers rely on imports for both commodities.
Tanzanian government working on connecting gas to cement plants
21 October 2020Tanzania: The Ministry of Industry and Trade said it is working to connect natural gas supplies to the local cement industry to help reduce operation costs and ultimately reduce the cost of cement to consumers. "The government is looking for the best way to ensure that gas is easily available, especially for existing (cement) industries in the Coastal Zone," said Minister for Industry and Trade Innocent Bashungwa.
The minister has also held a joint meeting with Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Investment) Angellah Kairuki and nine cement manufacturers, according to the Tanzania Daily News newspaper. The meeting covered issues such as poor roads, energy supplies and taxation.
In 2018 the government set cement prices both locally and for import.
UK: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said that Breedon Group’s acquisition of a minority of Cemex UK’s ready-mix and aggregates operations “may lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the supply of ready-mixed concrete, non-specialist aggregates or asphalt in 15 local markets across the UK” in a letter to the group. The Herald newspaper has reported that the potentially affected markets are in localities where Breedon Group is already dominant, such as eastern Scotland and the East Midlands.
CMA senior director Colin Rafferty said, “As consumers source the majority of these materials locally, it’s vital to ensure that enough competition will remain at the local level so there’s enough choice and prices remain fair.” If it fails to respond to the CMA’s concerns by 2 September 2020, Breedon Group will face an in-depth Phase 2 investigation into the deal.
Pakistani producers lobby for tax cuts
27 August 2020Pakistan: Leading cement producers have said that prices will rise by 10% before 2021 if a reduction in Federal Excise Duty (FED) to US$5.95/t of cement from US$11.9/t does not materialise. DG Khan Cement owner Nishat Group chair Mian Mansha said, “Failing this, producers will take a US$119m total hit on revenues,” according to the Express Tribune newspaper.